


Until The Masquerade Is Over

by Luciel89



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Anal Sex, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Barebacking, Bottom Castiel, Homophobia, Homophobic Language, M/M, Oral Sex, Top Dean, Underage Drinking, dub-con situations
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-22
Updated: 2014-11-29
Packaged: 2018-02-26 14:38:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 28,974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2655653
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Luciel89/pseuds/Luciel89
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Human/College!AU: Castiel isn’t the kind of guy who would let just anyone get into his pants. He has rules to keep his dignity and not to get his heart broken by a random stranger, but when he attends a Halloween party at his college and catches the attention of a mysterious guy in a Batman suit with the most stunning, green eyes ever, Castiel finds himself breaking that rule. But who is this green-eyed man, whom he ends up having the best sex of his life with, and will Castiel ever find out who the guy behind the mask really is?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> **Beta** : The story is beta’ed by [bookwormblondie](http://bookwormblondie.tumblr.com/).
> 
>  **Notes** : Castiel is 18 years old in this story and Dean is 19. There’s no underage sex. The dub-con and attempted rape is NOT between Dean and Castiel.

College. Where you were supposed to study, learn, get stressed out over hundreds of projects and assignments, and barely have any free time. That was where Castiel was. He was only in his first year, studying to be a teacher, but he already felt the pressure on his shoulders. Not just because of all the assignments, homework, and god knows what else he had to do, but also because his parents expected him to get good grades and not waste his potential.  
  
He had only been to college for barely two months, and he already felt kind of stressed about all the things he had to do and learn. Socially, he was doing pretty good – at least compared to high school. He got along with several people, though he hadn’t really made any new friends yet.  
  
Castiel had never been very good at making new friends – he could be awkward, and his liking for books probably scared some people off, but he did have some close friends from elementary school whom he had also gone to high school with and now college as well. Those friends were Anna and Samandriel, who both took school as seriously as him and who liked reading almost just as much as Castiel did. His friends were the reason that Castiel had survived the social horrors of high school, and now he and Samandriel shared a dorm room at the large college that they went to now.  
  
It was a rainy Wednesday in October and lunch break had finally started. Castiel exited the classroom along with his classmates and headed to the southern cafeteria, looking forward to meeting up with Anna and Samandriel there.  
  
There was a lot of pushing in the corridors as everyone hurried to get lunch, but Castiel was kind of used to that from high school. He kept himself as small as possible and tried not to bump into anyone, holding his laptop bag close to his body as he walked. Luckily he was a bit scrawny and his shoulders weren’t as broad as many of the other boys’, so he could easily pass through the masses.  
  
Although college was tough and required a lot of study, Castiel wasn’t in class for more than four to six hours a day. Most of the work (homework, projects, assignments) was in his free time, which kind of sucked, but at least he could do it in the library or in his dorm room where he wouldn’t be bothered.  
  
The cafeteria was loud when he arrived there. Everyone was talking, chatting, and some were shouting or laughing out loud. It smelled of burgers, fries, and pasta, and Castiel felt his stomach rumble as the smells teased his nose. He quickly went over to get some food on his plate before turning to find his friends somewhere in the room.  
  
Anna beamed when she spotted Castiel in the crowds of the cafeteria and quickly waved him over to her table. Samandriel sat across from her, and in the other end of the long table sat a group of girls that Castiel didn’t know.  
  
“Hey, Cas. Was wondering where you were,” Anna said as Castiel seated himself next to her, carrying a tray with a coke, burger, and fries on it.  
  
“Yeah, we almost sent a search squad for you,” Samandriel chuckled.  
  
Castiel rolled his eyes at them and got comfortable on his chair. “My stupid teacher just dragged the class out by five minutes, and the corridors were unusually crowded as I headed here. Sorry I took so long.” He put his computer bag on the floor between his legs (to make sure no one took it) and finally began eating, needing to fill his empty stomach with something.  
  
Anna laughed and patted his shoulder. “Don’t apologize. And I’m guessing that teacher was Dick Roman?”  
  
“Yes, he lives up to his name…”  
  
His friends laughed, and Castiel watched as Samandriel pulled out his phone and typed a text message. Judging from the goofy smile on his face, Castiel guessed that message was for the girl in Samandriel’s art class whom he just wouldn’t admit he had a crush on.  
  
“So, are you guys looking forward to the big Halloween Party on Friday next week?” Anna asked, looking between them in excitement.  
  
Castiel groaned, hating that Anna was always so excited about such events.  
  
“Yeah, I’m definitely going,” Samandriel beamed.  
  
“Of course you are. Your crush is coming, isn’t she?” Anna said, having looked right through Samandriel from the beginning. They had all known each other since the first grade, so Anna knew exactly how to read him.  
  
Samandriel blushed heavily and glanced at the people around them in paranoia. “I don’t have a crush on her! Stop saying that!”  
  
Anna laughed. “Yeah, right. You’re too obvious.” She chuckled at Samandriel’s red face before looking at Castiel again. She gave him a small nudge with her elbow. “How about you, Cas? You going?”  
  
“No, I think I’ll pass…” Castiel murmured, not liking such events at all. It was too crowded, too noisy, and the older students got wasted and hit on everyone around them. Castiel didn’t really want to witness that.  
  
“No way! I’m not taking no for an answer,” Anna said in her most stubborn voice, crossing her arms as she gave him a hard look of disappointment. “I’ve been looking forward to finally hanging out with you. We’ve all been so busy with college, and I think a single night of partying will do us good. Please, please, Castiel? You can’t leave me alone there with a love-struck Samandriel…”  
  
“I’m not love-struck!” Samandriel protested, his cheeks flushing red again.  
  
Castiel turned his head and looked at Anna in reluctance. His friend stared back at him with her best pleading face, and he found himself unable to say no to her. He knew she had a point and he too missed hanging out with his friends. Besides, the party couldn’t be that bad. Maybe he’d get to know people and get closer to his new classmates, if they were attending as well.  
  
He stared at Anna for a bit longer before letting out a deep sigh of defeat. “Okay, fine, I’ll go. But I’m not dressing up.”  
  
“Oh, but you _have_ to dress up, otherwise it’s boring!”  
  
“I’m still not dressing up. I wouldn’t even know what to dress up as.”  
  
“I think you’d look good in anything,” Anna grinned. “Maybe your costume will catch the attention of a hot, muscled guy who can top your pretty bottom.” She giggled and gave him a suggestive wink.  
  
Castiel’s face went bright red with embarrassment. It wasn’t a secret to his friends that he was gay and that he was a bottom. Ever since he was nine years old, he had always found himself looking at boys rather than girls. He had tried to keep it a secret from others ever since high school, because not everyone was very accepting of homosexuality, but at one point it had gotten out that he was gay and then hell broke loose. He had had to live with homophobic slurs when walking down the corridors, writings on his locker, desk, and in his books, and his peers making fun of him. P.E. class especially had been a living nightmare. He had almost had a mental breakdown until his parents found a good psychologist for him, who helped him get through it and taught him how to deal with it. Now he was much stronger against the homophobes, but there were days where he felt more vulnerable to their insults.  
  
“Please don’t say that out loud!” Castiel chastised at Anna, glancing around himself to see if anyone heard. No one seemed to pay attention to what they were saying. Everyone was minding their own business, eating, talking, being loud, and guys from the college football team walked through the cafeteria like they owned the place. College was much less group-divided than high school, but Castiel could still see some similarities, especially with the first-year students.  
  
“Sorry,” Anna told him, looking a bit guilty. “But you can never know. There _are_ other guys out there who like dick just like you do, and there _has_ to be other gays at this college too. Who knows, maybe you’ll find a decent guy at the party?”  
  
“I doubt that…”  
  
Anna sighed, but she seemed satisfied that Castiel had agreed to going to the party with them.  
  
Castiel continued eating, and their conversation took a new turn as Anna complained to them about some snobbish girl in her class.  
  
While he was listening to his friends talking and eating from his burger, Castiel’s attention was suddenly caught when there was a loud noise a few tables in front of him. He looked over and saw that it was just a few guys who had pranked one of their friends by yanking his chair away before he could sit, making him crash butt-first into the floor. People laughed, and the victim seemed grumpy and sore, but then one of the guys reached out his hand and helped him back on his feet.  
  
Castiel blinked as he stared at the guy who had helped the other student up from the floor. The guy was unusually handsome. He had nice, muscled arms and chest, broad shoulders, sandy-colored hair, and green eyes. Castiel watched as the guy laughed and patted the victim’s shoulder before sitting down with the others. He couldn’t stop staring at the handsome face until the guy sat down with his back turned to him.  
  
Anna glanced between Castiel and the student he was staring at. “Dude. Don’t tell me you like _Dean Winchester?_ ”  
  
Castiel turned his head to look at her, blinking. “Who?”  
  
Anna gestured at Dean. “Him. Dean Winchester. One of my friends from my Psychology class knows him a bit. She says he’s a lady-magnet, and he certainly isn’t gay or likes them much. Probably not a good idea to stare at him like that…”  
  
“I wasn’t staring,” Castiel denied, defensiveness in his voice.  
  
Samandriel snorted out a laugh, and he struggled to contain his laughter as Castiel turned his head to send him an amused glare.  
  
Anna gave him an unconvinced look before they went back to talking, and Castiel didn’t pay Dean any further attention.  


 

***

  
  
The day of the party arrived, and Castiel almost regretted having agreed to attend the Halloween Party with Anna and Samandriel. He was not a party person, and the mere thought of going there made him nervous and anxious. And there was no way in hell he’d dress up.  
  
Anna was all excited about the party. She saw it as an opportunity to bond more with the friends she had made in the two months they had attended college so far, and she was definitely more into partying than Castiel was. Samandriel too was excited, mostly because the girl he liked would also attend. Castiel kind of feared that his friends would abandon him there to hang out with their new friends, and in the afternoon before the party he was trembling with anxiety.  
  
Anna came to Castiel and Samandriel’s dorm room at 7:45pm to pick them up, as the party started at 8pm. The Halloween Party was taking place in the great hall of the college, which was for major gatherings and events.  
  
“Jeez, why didn’t you dress up?” Anna complained, looking Castiel up and down in disapproval when he stood in his dorm room, dressed in just some tight, dark pants and a dark blue t-shirt. Anna herself was dressed as a witch with a nice, pointy hat, a slim, black dress, polished black nails, and red lipstick that went well with her red hair. In her right hand she was holding a broomstick that had followed with her costume, but it didn’t look like one of those cheap things that broke as soon as you even looked at it. She looked pretty good, and Castiel couldn’t help but admire her costume and her charisma.  
  
“I told you I don’t want to dress up,” Castiel muttered.  
  
Next to him, Samandriel was dressed in dark pants and with a black t-shirt which ribs printed on it. It wasn’t much, but at least he had made a bit of effort. He laughed at his friends as Anna complained about Castiel’s lack of costume.  
  
“I figured you’d be like that…” Anna sighed deeply and shook her head helplessly before reaching into her pocket. “Here, put this on. You’re not getting in unless you’re dressed up as _something._ ”  
  
Castiel stared at her in horror when she reached out her hand towards him, revealing a set of cat ears that he could attach to his head. “I’m not wearing _that!_ ”  
  
“Yes, you _are!_ You’ve already paid to attend, and one of the rules is that you must be dressed as something, so quit complaining and just put it on.”  
  
Castiel cringed when he realized he didn’t really have a choice if he wanted to join.  
  
Samandriel laughed. “Wow, that is _seriously_ going to attract all the gay guys at college when they see you.”  
  
Castiel hated being made fun of, and he certainly didn’t want to show himself at the party wearing those cat ears. Reluctantly, he reached out his hand and took the eats from Anna’s hand. “Why do I have to wear this?” he muttered, sulking.  
  
“Because I just saw a sign that everyone who attends the party without costumes or take it off during the night will be pranked. You don’t want to risk that, do you?” Anna explained.  
  
Castiel cringed, staring at the cat ears like they were going to jump up and strangle him at any moment, before he finally sighed and put them on. He hadn’t felt this ridiculous for a long time as he stood there with fake cat ears on his head.  
  
Anna looked at him and smiled, pleased with how it looked on him.  
  
“You look pretty good with that,” Samandriel said, sincerely.  
  
“Thanks…” Castiel blushed a bit before following his friends out of the room to head to the party with them. The cat ears felt a bit strange on his head, but he didn’t want to scratch himself too much. His hair was messy enough as it was and it was never easy making it look right.  
  
When they finally arrived at the party, Castiel almost couldn’t recognize the room. It was very dark with the dimmed lights, and people had put black cardboards and stuff over the walls to make it look darker. There were mannequin dolls dressed up as something spooky, fake skulls and spiders all over the place and on the tables and even on the lamps, and everyone was dressed up in various costumes; witches, superheroes, skeletons, characters from famous TV shows, ghosts, etc. Most of the costumes and makeup were very good, and there were a few that were quite convincing, which freaked Castiel out a little as Anna dragged him through the crowds to find an available table. There was music in the room and the beat of the bass vibrated unpleasantly in Castiel’s body.  
  
Everyone seemed to be having fun, and lots of people got complimented on their costumes. Many of the girls were dressed up as something sexy, often revealing some skin on their legs or chest, and Castiel felt sorry for the girls who got unwanted attention from the guys because of it.  
  
The three of them glanced around and admired all the costumes, and they greeted the people they knew as they walked through the crowds.  
  
Castiel felt quite self-conscious wearing those cat ears, but not many people seemed to notice them. When they did get noticed, people didn’t stare too much and didn’t make fun of it, and a few smiled as they looked at him. A few girls also wore cat ears and even tails and whiskers, so Castiel felt rather reassured by that.  
  
The music got a bit louder as more students poured into the room and a lot of them began dancing. There wasn’t going to be a dinner there, but some of the students who had arranged the party came around and handed out lots of candy to everyone and put it on the tables, and there was lots of soda to drink. There wasn’t any booze there, since many students were below the age of 21, but it was quite possible that someone would smuggle some in and pour it into the drinks without the teachers finding out. The older students also had a habit of buying some and bringing it to the college, so that people could go outside and get their drinks spiced up. They always found a way to get past the rules.  
  
They sat down at a table and some of Anna’s new friends joined. They complimented her on her costume, which she got really happy and excited about.  
  
Samandriel stayed with them until he spotted his crush in the crowds. He then clumsily got up and excused himself, going over to start a chat with her. Castiel was happy for him that he had found someone he liked, but he was kind of sad when his friend left the table.  
  
Anna talked to her new friends, and Castiel talked to some of them too. They were mostly girls, but there were two guys with them. Castiel didn’t talk that often with other guys – especially not the ones who knew he was gay and had a problem with it. He always kind of thought that girls were easier to talk to, at least after he became a teenager. He had had male friends before, and in high school he had even had a boyfriend. It hadn’t lasted that long, though.  
  
Quickly he found himself relaxing, and the new people were rather easy to talk to. Maybe the party wasn’t that bad after all.  
  

 

***

  
  
Meanwhile at the party, Dean was hanging out with his buddies and enjoying the attention from the girls. All of his friends had agreed to dress up as Batman – including Dean – to attend a competition that was going to happen later to determine who was the best Batman at the party. They all wore their Batman masks, and it was difficult to tell who was who because they couldn’t see each other’s faces. Dean was rather easy to recognize, though; he was wearing an amulet that Sam had given him once when they were kids, and it hung around his neck and was clearly visible.  
  
Dean was having a good time, and he had managed to get his hands on a drink that had been spiced up a bit with alcohol. He was only 19 (almost 20), so he’d have to try not to get caught by the teachers.  
  
He was hanging out with Benny in the crowds when Ash – who was the only one of Dean’s friends who hadn’t followed their Batman dress code and was instead dressed as a cowboy – suddenly came over and slung his arms around both of them.  
  
“Finally a fucking party. All that studying is killing my brain,” Ash said, already sounding a bit drunk. The party had only been going on for half an hour, but Ash had drunk a lot during that time and some before that.  
  
“Don’t you worry about that. You ain’t got much inside that head of yours,” Benny joked, laughing.  
  
Dean laughed too, and Ash grunted and supported himself against them.  
  
“You be quiet there, Bad-man. I could hack into the damn Pentagon if I wanted,” Ash said, his voice slurry but serious.  
  
Dean and Benny just laughed, and they had to support Ash a bit as he wobbled backwards after he had released them.  
  
“Jeez, Ash. Thirty minutes and you’re wasted,” Dean chuckled.  
  
“Hey, I began drinking at 3pm! You guys are just slow.” Ash was 21 years old, but because he had wasted some time before getting into college, he was a first-year student like Dean and Benny were. They had met Ash just two months ago, but they already got along very well.  
  
“Easy there, Cowboy,” Benny chuckled, holding onto Ash’s arm before he could tip over.  
  
“I’m easy,” Ash insisted, snorting as if Benny was silly. When a group of girls dressed in female Captain America costumes walked by, Ash froze and focused on their pretty butts as he watched them walk. “Ohh. Damn. Wait up, ladies!” He ushered Dean and Benny aside and made his way over to the girls on unsteady legs.  
  
Dean and Benny just laughed their asses off at the sight, shaking their heads.  
  
“Oh man, they are gonna kick him so bad if he tries anything with them,” Benny snickered.  
  
“I’d love to watch that,” Dean smirked, taking another swig from his drink. He suddenly spotted someone walking past him, and his eyes immediately fell on the person’s ass. The person was wearing tight, dark pants, and Dean hummed in appreciation until he lifted his gaze and saw that that perfect ass actually belonged to a boy. Disappointment flowed through him, but only for a second, until he had a closer look at the boy, who was currently struggling to get through the crowds with a soda in his hand. The guy was thin, had pretty, black and messy hair, and Dean caught a glimpse of blue eyes. But mostly it was those cat ears on top of the guy’s head he stared at. They suited him pretty well.  
  
Dean had always been considered as being strictly heterosexual. He was popular with the ladies and he appreciated the female form, but as much as he liked to think he was straight, he had also found himself having a thing for boys too, as long as they were smaller built than him. And this guy he was looking at right now was definitely hot. And those cat ears… The guy just _had_ to be gay.  
  
Dean watched as the boy pushed his way through the crowds, murmuring ‘excuse me’ and ‘sorry’ every time he bumped into someone, until he went over and seated himself at one of the tables near the wall. Dean took another sip from his drink, staring at the boy whenever there was a free line of sight in his direction through the crowds.  
  
“Dude. Are you checking out that boy?” Benny asked, his eyebrow raised in suspicion when he saw who Dean was staring at.  
  
Dean immediately snapped out of it and turned to look at Benny. “What? No! I just… He looks familiar,” he lied.  
  
“Oh. Well, that guy’s name is Casteel or something like that. Don’t remember. Word has it he’s gay.”  
  
Dean’s eyes widened, and a part of him inside was very pleased to hear that. “And where’d you hear that?” He tried to keep his voice as stripped of emotions as possible, not wanting Benny to pick up on his interest in the boy.  
  
Benny shrugged. “Our buddy Tyler went to high school with him and I heard him talking about it. But that’s not important. Let’s go find the rest of our buddies and some ladies!” He grinned as he wrapped his arm around Dean’s shoulders and guided him in the direction of their other friends.  
  
Dean cast one final glance over his shoulder at the boy with the cat ears. His interest had been caught and he knew he’d have to somehow get to know that boy better. Lucky for him, his friends’ table was rather close to that of the blue-eyed boy.  


 

***

  
  
The time flew by rather quickly as Castiel talked with the people at their table, but he soon began to feel tired from all the social interactions. There were too many people and too much noise around him for him to properly enjoy himself, and at 9pm he was already rather fed up with it.  
  
While the others were engaged in some huge discussion about college debt, Castiel sighed and glanced at the people around him. It was still loud and crowded, and he saw several guys (and also girls) dressed in Batman costumes. There were so many Batman people at the party it was almost ridiculous, but Castiel had heard some rumors that there was going to be a competition about who made the best Batman, so he guessed that was why.  
  
He glanced around and admired people’s costumes until someone suddenly caught his attention. There was a guy sitting a few tables away, dressed in a Batman costume and hanging out with friends, who were also in Batman costumes, and he was staring right back at Castiel. They locked eyes and neither looked away from the other. Castiel couldn’t stop staring at the guy, and he shifted a bit when he saw the masked stranger’s eyes roam over his body, checking him out. It was such a scrutinizing stare, but it wasn’t unpleasant as such.  
  
The guy lifted his gaze to look at Castiel’s face again, his tongue coming out of his mouth to lick his lips. They stared at each for a few more seconds until one of the guy’s friends distracted him and he had to look away.  
  
Castiel felt a pleasant shiver go up his spine and his face flushed a bit. He quickly blinked out of it and looked away, trying to pay attention to Anna and the others again.  
  
Half an hour went by, and Castiel kept feeling that strange guy from earlier staring at him. Whenever he slowly turned his head to look back, the guy was still staring at him, his eyes boring into his. It should probably have freaked Castiel out, but for some reason he was kind of flattered that he had caught someone’s eye. Maybe it was those stupid cat ears that he was wearing. He had kind of wanted to take them off, but he had grown used to them now and he didn’t want to risk being pranked if he took them off. They didn’t bother him anymore anyway.  
  
Eventually Castiel felt thirsty because of the hot air in the room, so he decided to go and get something more to drink. He excused himself and got up from his seat, wandering into the crowds towards the long table where they served drinks. People were dancing to the music and talking really loud, and Castiel wished he could leave soon.  
  
He cursed under his breath when he kept getting bumped into by guys dressed in Batman costumes. Every time he thought it was that strange guy who had been staring at him, but the body types didn’t match.  
  
When he finally arrived at the table, he ordered another coke from the male student there. He paid for his drink and muttered a thanks to the guy, and was just about to leave when suddenly someone spoke to him.  
  
“Hey there.”  
  
Castiel turned to see who it was, and he sucked in a breath when he saw that mystery guy from earlier standing in front of him. The guy was almost a head taller than him, more muscled and broad, and he had a cocky smile on his lips as he stared down at Castiel. Castiel couldn’t see the guy’s face; only his mouth and jawline, but he could tell that he was handsome. There were two small holes where the eyes were, and Castiel was stunned by green eyes he saw.  
  
“Um, hi,” Castiel finally said, blushing shyly and feeling stupid for having taken several seconds to reply.  
  
The guy just smiled it off, pleased that he had finally replied. “So, um, how are you doing? You looked a little like you wanted to escape earlier when I saw you with your friends.”  
  
Castiel blinked at him before looking away. “I’m not much of a party person…”  
  
“Hmm.” The masked stranger hummed and stared at Castiel in a calculating manner for a few seconds.  
  
Castiel shifted awkwardly, and for some reason his heart was beating rather fast in his chest as the guy stared at him. “I, um, better get back to my friends.”  
  
“Can I join you?”  
  
Frowning, Castiel raised his head to look at the stranger. “I… I don’t even know you.”  
  
The guy laughed – a sound that Castiel found himself liking.  
  
“Well, we can get to know each other.”  
  
Again that confident smirk that made Castiel blush and feel strange inside. “Um…” He glanced over at the table where his friends were, seeing that someone else had suddenly occupied his chair and was talking to his friends. Great.  
  
The stranger followed his gaze. “Looks like your chair got hijacked. We can go somewhere else, if you like? There are plenty of available tables around.”  
  
Castiel hesitated for a bit before nodding. Anna had told him to get to know new people, so that’s what he’d do; get to know this guy.  
  
The masked stranger grinned in triumph before guiding Castiel towards the other end of the room, far away from their friends.  
  
Castiel felt a little nervous, as he didn’t even know who this guy was, but there was something intriguing about him. He followed the guy until they reached a part of the room that was less crowded and where the music wasn’t as loud. They found a small table and sat down, sitting next to each other since there were only two chairs at the table. Seemed like someone had run away with the other chairs.  
  
They kept some distance to each other, but Castiel still thought they were sitting rather close. It was a round table, so although they sat next to one another, it still felt a bit like they were also opposite each other.  
  
“So, what’s your name?” the stranger asked, resting his arms casually on the table and leaning forward while staring at Castiel in interest. His eyes darted to the cat ears on Castiel’s head every now and then, but the main focus was on his face.  
  
“Um, I’m Castiel,” he replied, putting his hands in his lap in a gesture of shyness. When he realized how girly that was, he quickly put his hands up on the table, and the stranger chuckled as he picked up on how nervous Castiel was. Castiel felt his cheeks flush in embarrassment.  
  
“That’s an unusual and long name. Mind if I call you Cas?”  
  
“Sure. My friends call me that too.” Castiel’s hands were restless as he folded them on the table, but he soon began to relax a little as the stranger just kept smiling at him. “And, um, what’s your name? Shouldn’t you take off your mask…?”  
  
“Nah, the mask better stay on. It’s more interesting this way,” the stranger said, leaning back in his chair but kept his eyes on Cas. “As for a name… Not willing to share that either.”  
  
Castiel frowned. “But you’re the one that suggested we get to know each other.”  
  
The stranger coughed and shifted uncomfortably, if not nervously. He glanced away, and Castiel had the feeling that he was a little conflicted. “Well, I’m not… gay.” He said that word with caution and his eyes flickered over to look at Castiel in wariness. “I like girls and I always have, but…”  
  
“You’ve found yourself being attracted to boys too,” Castiel finished for him. It slowly began to dawn on him why the stranger wanted to stay a stranger.  
  
The guy rubbed the back of his neck, which was covered by his mask. “Well, yeah. Some guys, not all guys. I have types.” His eyes flickered over to look at Castiel again and he swallowed a bit. “I’m just not very used to that thought yet and I don’t want to go public about it, so… I prefer staying anonymous at the moment.”  
  
Castiel nodded quietly. “Alright.”  
  
“You just kinda caught my interest, so I wanted to get to know you more. It’s fine if you’ve changed your mind about not wanting to sit here anymore—”  
  
“I haven’t changed my mind,” Castiel cut him off, looking straight back at him. “I’m just not very used to talking to someone whom I can’t see. It makes it hard to—”  
  
“Trust the person?” the stranger finished for him.  
  
Castiel stared back at him before nodding. “Yes…”  
  
The masked stranger let out a soft chuckle, placing his arms on the table again so they were crossed and then leaned forward. “Well, I’m not a creepy guy and I’m not here to lure you into some trick to make fun of you. I’m just a regular guy who wants to get to know you.”  
  
“You mean you’re a closet case who wants to see if he’s really into guys or if it’s just in his imagination?” Castiel murmured.  
  
“Well, not exactly. I’m a closet guy, yes, but I already know that I’m into guys – well, certain types of guys, anyway.”  
  
Castiel stared at the stranger, trying to assess him. He seemed trustworthy and honest, and there was something about him that made Castiel’s stomach flip. He had always found it hard to talk to guys – especially guys whom he was attracted to – but with this guy the conversation just seemed so easy. It must be chemistry or something, he figured.  
  
The stranger stared back at him, a smile on his lips. He seemed to study Castiel’s facial features and his eyes, and the loud music and deafening voices and shouts around them just seemed to disappear as they sat there. “So… Are you from town?” he asked, switching the topic.  
  
“Yes, I am,” Castiel replied, smiling. “You?”  
  
“Also from town,” the stranger smirked.  
  
Castiel nodded, leaning back in his chair and felt quite comfortable all of sudden.  
  
Something shiny suddenly caught Castiel’s eyes as the stranger began playing absently with an item that hung around his neck, and he noticed it was some sort of amulet. “What’s that?” he asked, gesturing at it.  
  
The stranger glanced down at the amulet and held it out for Castiel to see. “Just some amulet my little brother gave me once when we were kids. I always wear it.”  
  
“Are you sure you dare showing me that? What if I recognize it if we bump into each other when you’re not wearing a mask?” Castiel asked with a smirk on his lips, pouring as much teasing into his voice as he could.  
  
The stranger laughed, warm and amused. “Oh, I’ll keep it out of your sight when I spot you,” he smirked and let go of the amulet. “So… You got any siblings?”  
  
“Yes, I have an older brother, Gabriel. He left college this summer but lives at home with our parents now because he hasn’t got the money to move out yet. He only just found a job, so it’ll take a while before he can find an apartment.”  
  
“Hmm.” The stranger let his words sink in. “Do you parents know that you’re, you know… gay?”  
  
“Yes…” Castiel stared down at his hands. “They know, and they don’t mind, and neither does my brother. They helped me when I had a hard time in high school.”  
  
“I guess being gay is never easy…”  
  
“No, it isn’t.” Castiel clenched his jaw and kept staring at the table. The memories of his high school year always made him feel a bit depressed. He’d rather just forget that high school ever happened.  
  
The stranger eyed him in sympathy. “So… You never had a boyfriend?”  
  
“I did, in high school.” Castiel looked up at him again. “His name was Balthazar. He was nice, and we were together for a few months, but it didn’t work out.”  
  
“Hmm. So someone already had a taste of you then?”  
  
Castiel blushed furiously. “S-So what?”  
  
“Nothing,” the stranger chuckled.  
  
Over the next twenty minutes they talked a bit back and forth about the party, life and college, and the teachers. Castiel found that the stranger knew some of his teachers, and that he shared the same hatred for Dick Roman as he did. The stranger never shared any information that could reveal who he was, but Castiel was rather okay with that. It felt pretty good to just chat with someone and judging them by what they looked like, and as they talked, Castiel felt more and more relaxed. He laughed at the stranger’s jokes and shared some too which the masked guy also laughed at, and their chemistry just flowed so well. Castiel didn’t know if it was because he couldn’t see who he was talking to or because they just naturally got along well.  
  
Anna had sent him a text message to ask where he went, so Cas had had to reply to her that he was with someone.  
  
For once, Castiel was really enjoying himself, and the more he stared at the stranger’s figure in front of him, the more attracted he felt to the guy. His body-build was the kind that Castiel found most attractive, and his voice was pleasant to listen to. He had the feeling that the stranger was trying to make his voice a bit deeper so that Castiel wouldn’t recognize it if they ever talked face-to-face, but he actually didn’t mind.  
  
At some point the stranger got up to get them some drinks, and he respected that Castiel only wanted a coke, not booze. They only sold canned coke at the party, so Castiel could be sure that no roofies or whatever had been put into it. Not that he thought that the masked stranger would do that – he seemed like a nice guy – but he couldn’t be completely sure.  
  
While the stranger had gone for drinks, Castiel had made his way over to Anna to let her know that he was really okay and was just talking to some guy. He had texted her about it, but he knew she was the kind of friend who worried a lot, so he thought he’d go and reassure her. Castiel tried not to blush when Anna grinned at him like a jerk and gave him the thumb-ups when he told her how well he and the stranger got along, before he finally went back to the table in time for the stranger to come back.  
  
They talked a bit more after that, and soon it was 11pm. Castiel was surprised by how fast time had passed. Many of the students at the party had already left to continue partying elsewhere.  
  
“You missed your Batman competition,” Castiel said, feeling a bit guilty that he had kept the guy occupied while the competition went on.  
  
The stranger shrugged. “It wasn’t that important. It’s more fun talking to you, anyway.”  
  
He gave Castiel a confident smirk that made him blush. The stranger chuckled softly before leaning closer to him. Their chairs had somehow ended up much closer to each other during the two hours they had talked, and Castiel felt a small shiver go up his spine as the stranger leaned in to whisper something in his ear.  
  
“Do you wanna get out of here together?”  
  
A spark of arousal ran through Castiel, without his consent. He knew a pick-up line for sex when he heard it, and sex was definitely what the stranger was offering. Castiel stared back at the stranger, whose eyes were just in front of his own now. He swallowed and nodded. “Yes.”  
  
With a smirk of victory, the stranger gently grabbed his hand and started leading him out of the room. Castiel felt a little disappointed that the stranger was wearing gloves and that he couldn’t feel the guy’s skin on his own.  
  
They smoothly walked through the crowds of dancing people and loud music, until they finally reached the exit. Together they got out of there and headed down several corridors outside until the stranger pulled Castiel into an empty classroom.  
  
It was dark in the room, and the stranger only turned on a bit of light – but only enough for them to see each other dimly – before turning to face Castiel and approaching him slowly.  
  
Castiel swallowed, his body feeling warm with arousal and his dick beginning to harden in his pants. This wasn’t something he ever did; having sex with strangers. He preferred knowing the guy he had sex with and build a relationship with him first like he had done with Balthazar, but there was something about this guy that Castiel just couldn’t resist.  
  
Slowly, the stranger put his hands on Castiel’s hips, staring into his eyes. His pupils were dilated with lust, so Castiel was sure he was not the only one who was aroused there.  
  
“Do you want this?” the stranger asked, searching Castiel’s eyes.  
  
Castiel stared back at him and slowly moved his arms up, wrapping them around the stranger’s neck. “Yes. I do, I… There’s something about you,” he whispered. His eyes moved down to stare at the masked stranger’s lips, admiring their shape and pink color.  
  
“There’s something about you too. You drive me insane,” the stranger breathed, his face getting so close to Castiel’s that their lips brushed together. When the stranger finally pressed forward, their lips connected in a kiss that soon turned hungry and fiery.  
  
Castiel mewled and grabbed a hold of the back of the stranger’s mask, forgetting that he couldn’t grab his hair. The stranger let out a growl, like a warning that Cas shouldn’t tear off his mask, before moving his own hand up and burying it in Castiel’s messy, black hair, careful not to make those ears fall off.  
  
Castiel gasped loudly as the stranger yanked his head back. His neck got exposed, and a shiver of arousal ran up his spine as the stranger started sucking bruises into his neck. “Ah! Oh god,” he moaned, his dick getting harder in his pants now.  
  
The stranger hummed in approval and kept kissing, sucking, and tasting Castiel’s neck  
  
Castiel moaned and shuddered as the stranger’s mouth closed around his pulse, sucking bruises into his skin. He would have to cover that up with something later. He suddenly realized that he was still wearing those ridiculous ears, so he moved a hand up to take them off, but the stranger stopped him.  
  
“Don’t. They look sexy on you,” the stranger said, still sucking and kissing Castiel’s neck.  
  
Castiel shuddered and let the ears stay, like the stranger wanted.  
  
The guy pulled back and kissed him on the lips again, plunging his tongue into Castiel’s mouth. His glove-covered hands grasped Cas’ hair and squeezed his ass, making Castiel shudder in arousal.  
  
It was so overwhelmingly hot, and Castiel had never been so turned on before. He was in a classroom at college with a total stranger, kissing him and letting the guy grope him, and he could feel the stranger begin to rub his rock-hard erection against his thigh.  
  
“Fuck, you’re so hot,” the stranger purred, licking Castiel’s neck again. He removed his hand from Cas’ hair and started to hastily taking off his gloves, throwing them to the floor. Then he suddenly grasped Castiel’s hair again, continuing to kiss him like he was thirsting for him, while his left hand moved up under Cas’ shirt to touch his stomach and chest.  
  
Castiel gasped loudly, bucking against the stranger as he felt a rough, warm hand exploring his skin. He mewled and moaned into the kiss, and started grinding his erection against the stranger until their groins made contact.  
  
The stranger pulled back with a loud, aroused gasp. “Fuck. Do you have condoms?”  
  
Castiel opened his eyes and blinked at him. “…No, I don’t.”  
  
They both seemed pretty disappointed with that, and the stranger rubbed the back of his neck for a bit. “Um, well, I’m clean. I’ve only ever used condoms when having sex, and my dad made me get a test a few weeks ago and it was negative. What about you?”  
  
“Also only ever used condoms. I’m clean too.”  
  
“Good. ‘Cause I wanna fuck you so bad right now,” the stranger growled, yanking Castiel in for another kiss.  
  
“Yes!” Castiel keened, having no objections with that.  
  
They kissed and groped each other as the stranger started pushing Castiel over to the teacher’s desk behind them. Castiel mewled when his ass was squeezed really tight, like the guy wanted to claim it, until suddenly he was spun around and bent over the desk. Castiel immediately spread his legs and let his upper body and hands rest on the table like a good boy, while the stranger began working on getting his pants open. He was more aroused than ever, and he whimpered when his pants and underwear were finally pulled down to his knees and cold air hit his naked butt.  
  
The stranger took a minute to admire Castiel’s ass, trailing his fingertips over the naked skin before digging them into it. Castiel felt embarrassingly aroused to have his ass squeezed like that.  
  
“Mm, as pretty as I imagined,” the stranger purred.  
  
Castiel moaned at the praise, wiggling his butt unconsciously.  
  
“You’ll be a good boy when I fuck you, right?”  
  
Castiel nodded, almost sobbing because he was so horny and really wanted to feel the stranger shove his cock into him already. “Yes, I will. Please…”  
  
The stranger hummed before he teased a finger over Cas’ opening, a pleased sound coming from him as Castiel gasped. “Damn, I don’t have lube… We’ll need that, right?”  
  
“Just use spit. I’ve done that before. It works,” Castiel told him.  
  
“Yeah?” The stranger grinned before spitting on his hand and brought it down to stretch Castiel with.  
  
Castiel tried to be patient as the stranger rubbed the spit against his rim and pushed a finger inside him. It was obvious that this was rather new to the guy, but he seemed to know what to do. Castiel moaned as the rough, thick fingers began preparing him. He pushed back into them sometimes, and moaned every time a new finger was added. Soon there were three fingers inside him, stretching him and teasing his inner walls, and Castiel felt his head get a bit dizzy with arousal.  
  
“I’m ready now. Please just fuck me already,” Castiel begged, pushing back into the stranger’s fingers.  
  
“Mm, such a slut for it, huh?” said the stranger, fond amusement in his gruff voice. He twisted his fingers around a bit more and crooked them just right, causing Castiel to let out a loud yip when he found his prostate. “So hot,” he hummed in approval before withdrawing his fingers.  
  
Castiel whined in impatience and heard the stranger unfasten his pants behind him. He wiggled his ass again in invitation, until two hands grabbed his hips and the blunt head of the stranger’s cock nudged his entrance.  
  
This was it. He was about to get fucked by a man whose face he had never even seen – by someone he wouldn’t be able to recognize if they met in the corridors afterwards. Castiel knew it was wrong by many people’s moral standards, but he didn’t care. He liked his stranger; their chemistry just fit, and he seemed awfully attractive, from what Cas had seen of him. He was pretty sure the guy was good at fucking too.  
  
Suddenly, the stranger pushed in – going all the way inside with the first thrust. Castiel cried out at the delicious burn and at the wonderful feeling of being filled. And _fuck,_ that guy had a big cock. Bigger than Castiel had expected, and definitely wider than Balthazar’s. It took Castiel a few seconds to adjust and get used to the intrusion, overwhelmed by the unexpected size. “F-Fuck!” he cursed, panting.  
  
He heard the stranger grin behind him and felt him rub his hips almost soothingly with his hands, before he finally pulled his cock almost all the way out before pushing forward again. The force sent Castiel flying up the table, and he was glad that his legs helped keep him in place. His cock was being squeezed between himself and the table now and it felt almost unpleasant, but he didn’t care. The cock inside him definitely made up for that.  
  
The stranger moved slow but hard at first, as if trying to let Cas get used to his size, before he sped up a bit. He grunted and moaned behind Castiel, gripping his hips tightly, and Castiel could feel him staring down at the place where his cock was disappearing into Castiel’s ass.  
  
“Fuck, you’re tight. Tightest I’ve ever had,” the stranger grunted, pounding into him. Again he rubbed Castiel’s hips with his hands in a soothing gesture as Castiel whined softly. “Such a good boy. Taking me so well…”  
  
Castiel whimpered, a bit ashamed at how much the stranger’s dirty talk turned him on. He grabbed the edges of the table to hold on as he was pounded into hard, over and over, and the table pushed against the floor and made noise. This was the first time that Castiel had ever gone bareback, and he reveled in the feeling of that large, thick cock inside him with nothing to separate it from his ass. It felt dirty to be doing this, but god, it turned him on so fucking much.  
  
Suddenly they heard voices outside the door as a group of students walked down the corridor, and Castiel froze in fear.  
  
The stranger slowed down for a second before leaning down over Castiel, moving a hand up to cover his mouth. “Shhh,” he hushed him, pressing his clothed stomach against Castiel’s back and kept rolling his hips as he continued to fuck him.  
  
Castiel whimpered behind the stranger’s hand, fearing that someone would come in through the unlocked door and catch them in the act. That same fear was what made it even hotter and dirtier, though. Castiel was almost ready to come at the thought alone that they could be caught and that the stranger was still fucking him despite the danger. He closed his eyes and tried to hold back his orgasm, his inner muscles tightening as he did so.  
  
“God, you’re turned on by that, aren’t you?” the stranger said into his ear, amusement in his voice.  
  
Castiel couldn’t reply because of the hand over his mouth, so all he did was whimper and nod shamefully.  
  
“Mm, don’t be ashamed, baby. I’m turned on too,” the stranger purred, placing a kiss on Castiel’s neck and rested his head against his as he fucked him into him. When the people were gone and everything was quiet again outside, the stranger leaned back and resumed his previous position. “Fuck, I’m gonna come soon. You’re just too damn tight and warm around me. How about you, baby boy?”  
  
“Yes. So close…” Castiel moaned, resting his forehead against the table and didn’t care that it had grinded against the wood every time he was thrust into. He moved his hand down to jerk himself off, but the stranger yanked it away fast.  
  
“No! You’re mine right now, so you don’t get to do that. I’ll make you come on my cock alone. Can you do that?” The stranger’s voice wasn’t rude or harsh, but there was authority to it as well as a bit of fondness, and it made Castiel shiver in arousal.  
  
“Y-Yes,” Cas croaked, moaning and panting under the stranger. “Feels so good… Harder.”  
  
“Mm. You like it hard, don’t you?”  
  
“Fuck! Yes. _Please…_ ”  
  
The stranger smirked behind him, pleased with his words, before pounding into Castiel even harder than before, purposely hitting his prostate every time.  
  
“Oh god! Yeesssss!” Castiel cried out, panting as he closed in on his orgasm until it finally hit. He came so hard that he could feel it in his entire body. Every cell inside him tingled and vibrated, and his dick spurted his release over the table, making a mess of it and his shirt. His vision flashed white, and he swore he had never come so hard in his entire life, nor had he ever been fucked so well before.  
  
The stranger followed right behind him, letting out a sharp grunt and cursed as he shot his load into Castiel, filling him with his seed. His thrusts slowed down, but he was still fucking into Cas.  
  
Castiel gasped at the unfamiliar feeling as he was filled with the sperm of a man he didn’t even know. It felt warm and nice. The way the stranger’s cock twitched inside made him moan, and he loved the way he could feel its entire shape. Never had he thought that it could feel so good to allow someone to come inside him, and he hummed at the wonderful feeling and as his body tingled pleasantly with the aftermath of his orgasm.  
  
The stranger’s hands were still on Cas’ hips, holding him in place, and he panted for breath when it was over. Castiel panted too, and his body went limp on the desk. He felt well and thoroughly fucked, and his ass burned pleasantly.  
  
The stranger hummed and ran his hands over Castiel’s ass, staring at it. Finally he pulled out, and Castiel let out a small noise of disappointment as the softening cock left his ass.  
  
“Mm, that was good. Never gone bareback before, but it was worth it,” the stranger smirked, beginning to tuck himself back into his pants again.  
  
Castiel got up and turned around, catching a glimpse of the stranger’s well-endowed cock before it was tucked away. He blushed a bit, feeling a little awkward and shy, and the unfamiliar feeling of the stranger’s semen running down his thighs made him shiver.  
  
The stranger walked over and rummaged through the drawers of the desk before handing Cas a box of tissues he found. “Here, use that.”  
  
“Thank you,” Castiel said, keeping his head down as he quickly began cleaning up. He tried to hide his softened cock from the stranger’s view as the guy stood in front of him, but he still felt the stranger’s stare.  
  
“Well, I gotta go…” the masked stranger said, rubbing the back of his neck again and turned to walk towards the door. He picked up his gloves from the floor first.  
  
“Wait!” Castiel blurted, blushing as the stranger turned to look at him in bewilderment. “Will you still not tell me your name?” he asked, biting his lower lip as he held his breath hopefully.  
  
The stranger blinked at him before smirking. “Nope.” He flashed Castiel a grin before opening the door and disappearing down the corridor outside.  
  
Castiel was left standing alone in the classroom now, watching the door as it slowly closed after the stranger had left. He hurriedly cleaned up the rest and pulled his pants up again so that he wouldn’t be half naked if someone suddenly walked in.  
  
As he cleaned up the mess on the desk, he wondered who that masked stranger really was. Would they meet again? If so, would Castiel recognize him? He had no idea, and it was driving him insane that he didn’t even know who it was that had given him the best sex and orgasm of his life, and whom he felt such a strange connection with.  
  
Castiel left the room the room soon afterwards, heading back to his dorm room and trying not to walk funnily as more of the stranger’s come leaked from him. He kept his hands in front of the stain on his shirt and was lucky that no one noticed it.  
  
The question of who that stranger was kept bugging his mind, and he wondered if he’d ever find out. All he had to go on were the stranger’s amulet and his body-build, nothing more.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked the first chapter :) The story will have about 3 chapters, so there’s more to come.
> 
> Please let me know what you think! And thanks for reading.


	2. Chapter 2

As the days passed and classes started again, Castiel was unable to stop thinking about the mystery guy whom he had sex with at the Halloween Party. He soon found himself staring at every guy he met in the corridors, wondering if it could be the stranger. It was frustrating that he hadn’t seen the guy’s face, and he felt a little paranoid that the guy could be staring at him at any moment and Castiel wouldn’t even know it. His eyes roamed over every guy he saw, trying to recognize the body-build of the stranger, but there were so many guys who had a similar build. He tried looking for the amulet he had seen, but so far he’d had no luck.  
  
He’d been unable to stop thinking about the sex he’d had with the stranger. It turned him on every time he thought about it, and it had been a pain to have to jerk off in bed whenever Samandriel wasn’t around. Castiel had had to wear a scarf around his neck for three days because of the hickeys the stranger had left there, and Anna hadn’t seemed totally convinced when he said his throat was just hurting.  
  
“Okay, what’s up with you?” Anna asked as they shared dinner together in the cafeteria the following Monday. “You’re staring around like some paranoid, old lady. Who are you looking for?”  
  
“Yeah, I wonder about that too,” Samandriel said, sitting across from them at the table.   
  
People were chatting and being noisy around them, and the cafeteria smelled heavily of pizza, lasagna, potatoes, and meat. There were always a few things to choose from in the cantina.  
  
Castiel blushed a bit as his friends caught him staring around a lot. “N-Nothing. Nothing’s up with me.” He turned his attention back to his meat and potatoes, taking another bite. He still wore a scarf around his neck, but the hickeys were fading now.  
  
Anna wasn’t convinced. “I _know_ you. Something’s up. Is it that guy you said you were talking to at the party? Are you looking for him? If you tell us what the guy looks like, then we can let you know if we spot him.”  
  
Castiel tensed and stared at his food. “I don’t know what he looks like…”  
  
“What?! Seriously?” Samandriel blurted, stunned.  
  
“He was dressed in a Batman costume with a mask, like so many others at the party. I never saw his face,” Castiel explained, poking at his food.  
  
Anna blinked in surprise. “Wow. That doesn’t sound like you; hanging out with a guy you don’t know or can’t see.”  
  
“Well, he seemed… nice.”  
  
Anna stared at him for a bit until her face paled. “Oh god. You had sex with him, didn’t you?”  
  
Samandriel chocked on his water and started coughing, and Castiel turned to look at Anna in horror, mortified that she had somehow figured that out.  
  
“What? N-No!” he denied, maybe a bit too quick.  
  
“You totally did! That’s why you’re wearing that scarf! To hide the love marks.”  
  
Castiel blushed furiously and stared at his food again, too embarrassed to look at his friends. He glanced around a bit to see if anyone had heard what they were talking about, but no one was paying them much attention.  
  
Anna still looked like she was in shock, but there was also a bit of amusement and pride on her face. “So… Was it good?” she asked, trying suppress her giggling.  
  
Samandriel too tried not to giggle, and Castiel glared at them both.  
  
“Yes, very. Can you please shut up now?” Castiel muttered, his face so red that he could be mistaken for a tomato.  
  
Anna laughed out loud and patted Castiel’s back proudly. “Oh my god! I’m so proud of you! You’re gaining more confidence in yourself and exploring new things. That’s nice.”  
  
“You sure the guy didn’t secretly film you to humiliate you afterwards?” Samandriel asked, worry in his voice.  
  
“I’m pretty sure he didn’t,” Castiel said, still mostly looking at his plate.  
  
“If he had, he would have published it already and then everyone would be able to see Cas getting his pretty bum taken care of by a kind stranger,” Anna cut in, giggling.  
  
“Please stop talking about that! Someone could hear you…” Castiel chastised her, once again making sure that no one heard.  
  
“So was he nice?” Samandriel asked, chuckling at Anna’s comment.  
  
“Yeah, he was actually very nice. There was just something about him… Like, our chemistry just matched very well.”  
  
“Hmm.” Anna hummed, looking at Castiel with a smile as she observed him quietly.  
  
Castiel noticed the way his friends were smiling at him and it made him blush again. “But it doesn’t matter. I don’t know who he is, anyway.”  
  
“Maybe you’ll find out,” Anna told him, putting a hand on his shoulder for reassurance.  
  
Castiel wondered if she was right.  
  
  


***

  
  
Dean had gone back to hang out with his friends after his little encounter with Castiel on Friday night, not telling anyone where he had gone or with whom he had been.  
  
When Dean had first laid eyes on Cas at that party, he had been unable to resist getting to know that pretty boy. It had taken him a while to gather the courage to approach Cas, but he certainly didn’t regret talking to him. There was something about the other boy that just drew Dean to him, and when they had sat down and talked for two whole hours, Dean had felt strangely relaxed around him. He had never felt that way with any girl before; not even with his ex-girlfriend, Lisa. He had been unable to look away from those gorgeous, blue eyes, and he knew that he had to get a taste of those pink lips, which was why they had ended up in that classroom together. Cas was all warm, eager, and so amazingly hot that it drove Dean mad, and the sex had been the best he had ever had. All those pretty noises Castiel made when Dean fucked him were like music to his ears, and he hadn’t wanted for it to stop. He had wanted to just drag the other boy with him back to his dorm room and keep him for the night, but he didn’t want his roommate Benny finding out that he was into guys, or any of his other friends for that matter. He didn’t think that Benny would have that much of a problem with it, but he wasn’t sure.  
  
Dean saw Castiel again the following Tuesday when he walked past him in the cantina where they both went to get some lunch. Castiel was standing a bit in front of him in the line, and Dean felt his cock twitch in his pants when he stared at him. The memories of their encounter were still fresh in his memory, and he couldn’t help but let himself have a good look at the other boy’s ass. He had fucked that ass just four days ago.  
  
Castiel didn’t look at him, though. He was busy picking food from the cantina and putting it on his plate. Dean stood a few feet away in the line and stared when he saw Castiel reaching for a salad and some bread to eat. A salad? Seriously? Dean shook his head at that, snorting softly.  
  
Benny and Ash were talking about something behind Dean, but he didn’t pay them much attention as he was too busy checking out Cas a few feet in front of him. His dick was getting hard by just looking at him, so Dean had to look away for a bit and try to think of something less arousing. He prayed he wouldn’t run into Cas too much in the next couple of days; at least not while his memories of the sex were still so clear to him.  
  
Castiel moved out of the line and went over to sit with his friends, and Dean forced himself not to follow him with his eyes. He quickly put a sandwich on his plate, grabbed a Sprite, and went over to find a table with Benny, Ash, and their other friends. When he passed Castiel on the way, he noticed the other boy glancing around at every male that walked by him. Dean couldn’t help but smirk at that. Of course Cas would want to know who it was he had hooked up with, especially after how well they had gotten along. He felt a little sorry that he couldn’t tell Cas who he was, though. Dean just wasn’t ready for everyone to know yet that he wasn’t as straight as they thought he was.  
  
  


***

  
  
After lunch break, Castiel headed towards his next class, History. It was an introduction class with students with various majors in it, and Castiel had picked it because he wanted to teach History and English someday. The History teacher – Jody Mills – was pretty nice, and she was good at teaching. She made it interesting. What Cas didn’t like was that some people just wouldn’t shut up during class, which was very annoying.  
  
Castiel made sure to arrive at his class at least five minutes early, and he sat down on his usual seat on the third row. It was an auditorium-like classroom, which he kind of liked about college. He quickly got his laptop ready and watched as his classmates entered the room.  
  
He looked up when he saw a group of guys coming in through the front door – a few of them whom he hadn’t seen in that class before. There were about 200 students in there, so it wasn’t unusual for Castiel to suddenly spot someone in his class whom he hadn’t seen before, especially if they usually sat in the back or used the backdoor. Castiel recognized one of the guys as the one that Anna had said was called Dean.  
  
Dean was laughing at something along with another guy, and smacked his textbook against his friend’s shoulder when the guy had seemingly said something to tease or annoy him. Castiel didn’t know those other guys (except for one, whom he had gone to high school with and whom he absolutely hated), but he had seen Dean hang out with them before. Dean seemed to hang out with a lot of different students and have a large network.  
  
Castiel was sitting next to the steps that lead up to the other rows of seats, and Dean looked straight at him as he passed him. Castiel’s body froze. He didn’t know why, but looking at Dean’s eyes sent some kind of shiver up his spine.  
  
Dean’s eyes widened and his face went strangely pale for a second before he quickly looked away and fumbled a bit with something in front of his shirt. He ascended the steps, and he and his friends seated themselves on the fifth row on the other side of the steps, so they could look over at Castiel, but Castiel couldn’t see them unless he turned his head. This wasn’t where they were usually seated, but one of them complained about the seats being occupied in the back, so they picked that row to sit on instead.  
  
The teacher hadn’t come inside yet, but most of the students were there.  
  
Castiel smiled politely as a girl named Charlie seated herself next to him. They often sat next to each other in History class, and on the other side of her sat two of her female friends.  
  
Castiel suddenly noticed a lot of snickering behind him, and he glanced over his shoulder to where Dean’s friends were whispering about something. Dean himself listened in, but from the look on his face he didn’t seem very interested or like he shared their opinion. The look on his face was tight and tense, but Castiel didn’t pay much attention to it and decided to turn around again. That was when he was suddenly hit on the back of his head by a roll of paper. His body froze and tensed up as the guys burst out laughing.  
  
“Hey, Fag Boy! Wanna suck cock?” one of the guys shouted, making his pals laugh even louder. Castiel recognized the voice as being Tyler’s; the guy Castiel knew from high school. Tyler had been one of his worst bullies and Castiel had had a smaller panic attack when college started and he had ended up in History with him. Thankfully Tyler mostly left him alone because he usually seated himself far away from Cas, but today that obviously wasn’t the case.  
  
Castiel felt absolutely humiliated as some of the others in class laughed too, while others just glared at the guys and shook their heads at them. This was almost like high school all over again.  
  
“Hey!” Charlie shot up from her chair, her fiery hair moving dramatically through the air as she turned around to face them. “What are you? Kindergarteners? Stop making fun of others because they are different!”  
  
“But he’s gay!” Tyler exclaimed, like it give him a right to publically humiliate Castiel.  
  
“Well, so am I,” Charlie retorted, placing her hands on her hips. “And you assholes can suck my dick or stick this up your ass if you have a problem with gays!” She flipped them the bird as she talked, gave them a hard look, and sat back down on her chair like a boss.  
  
Everyone in the classroom laughed and cheered, and Castiel’s jaw dropped at how she had told them off.  
  
Tyler and his buddies shut up immediately, except for Dean, who was struggling to contain his snickering along with one of his friends – a guy Cas was pretty sure was called Ash.  
  
Castiel looked at Charlie, baffled. “You’re gay?” he asked, keeping his voice low.  
  
Charlie grinned at him and nodded. “Oh yeah. Dick is definitely not my thing – neither the organ nor the teacher.” Her friends laughed next to her, and Castiel too couldn’t help but chuckle. Charlie nudged him a bit with her elbow. “Let’s have each other’s back, yeah?” She gave him a wink that made Castiel smile.  
  
“That’s a deal,” Castiel replied, grinning at her.  
  
Charlie smiled widely until Miss Jody entered the classroom, looking a little confused about all the laughing before she finally began teaching.  
  
  


***

  
  
A month went by and Castiel had given up on trying to find out who the stranger in the Batman costume was. He had probably passed the guy several times, but he just didn’t know who it was. He wondered if the guy had even spared him a second glance when they had walked by each other in the corridor. Had he felt that connection too, or was Cas just a hole willing to be filled to him? Castiel liked to think that the stranger was just as interested in him as Castiel was in the stranger, but what did that matter when the guy could be anybody at the school. It had just been a simple one-night stand and a great time together, nothing more. And yet Cas couldn’t get him out of his head.  
  
It was 7pm and Castiel was headed back to his dorm. He walked with Anna and Samandriel there, though Anna lived in another dorm. They had agreed to do some studying together in Castiel and Samandriel’s room, and Anna’s friend Laura went too. Castiel had met her at the Halloween Party and she seemed nice, so it didn’t bother him that she joined.  
  
As they entered the dorm, there was a lot of noise coming from one of the rooms on the third floor, just down the hallway from where Castiel and Samandriel lived.  
  
“Hey, girls!” a guy shouted, standing in the doorway of that room. “Wanna come inside and have some drinks? We’ve smuggled some real drinks in,” he grinned. “Your friends can join.” He gestured and Castiel and Samandriel.  
  
Anna glanced into the room, which was already full of people; boys and girls alike. She glanced at Laura, who seemed quite interested too. “When do you close?” she asked, flashing the guy a smile.  
  
“After midnight. Today’s Friday, so we can stay up late,” he replied, smirking at the girls as he checked them out.  
  
“Great, but I think we’ll go study first. Booze comes afterwards,” Anna said, moving towards Castiel and Samandriel’s room.  
  
“Oh yeah. Can’t think when I drink,” Laura agreed.  
  
“Don’t forget about us!” the guy shouted, before going in to join the party again.  
  
They approached the room, and Castiel got his keys ready to unlock the door, swiftly dodging the other people in the corridor.  
  
“You really wanna go there?” Samandriel asked, eyeing Anna and Laura worriedly.  
  
“With all this homework, you gotta get some booze sometimes,” Laura reasoned.  
  
“Even though we aren’t 21 yet,” Anna grinned, going inside the room as soon as Castiel had unlocked the door.  
  
Castiel wondered if he should join. It had been a while since he last got drunk. In fact, he had only ever been drunk twice, and both times happened at home at Gabriel’s birthdays. His brother had made him share drinks with him, and their parents hadn’t minded as long as it happened inside their own home; that way Castiel could learn how alcohol affected him. He was quite picky when it came to alcohol, though; there weren’t many kinds that he liked. Mostly he liked Bacardi and coke, white wine, and those apple cider thingies with alcohol in them.  
  
They settled themselves on the floor and started doing their homework together. They didn’t all have the same homework, but they could still help each other out since they had different competences. It was also a social thing, so that it made it more fun.  
  
Two hours passed with them doing their homework, sharing some snacks and chatting, until they were done.  
  
Anna was eager to get some drinks from that party down the hallway, and Castiel and Samandriel joined her and Laura as they headed there.  
  
There were a lot of people at the party, which had spread to three different dorm rooms by now. Whenever teachers came to check if the underage students had any alcohol, the 21+ years students would pretend that only they had been drinking and would keep the booze in a room where only students who were over 21 years old could enter. The teachers couldn’t prove anything, but it wasn’t like they checked much.  
  
Both Castiel and Samandriel felt a little out of place as they entered one of the party rooms, but the host just shoved a drink into their hands and told them to drink up.  
  
The music was kind of loud, but not too loud, and the lights were pretty dimmed. Boys and girls interacted with each other and some hooked up, but most people just hung out with their friends. It was pretty stuffy in the rooms with so many people, and a lot of them had gathered in the hallway too.  
  
Castiel stayed close to his friends and shared a few drinks with them. He tried not to drink too much because he didn’t want to lose his common sense as he drank, but he soon found himself failing at keeping the drinks in the lowest numbers. The apple ciders tasted good, and at some point he forgot how many he had had. Maybe four or five.  
  
A handsome guy with brown hair studied Castiel from across the room. At first Castiel thought that it was his stranger, but the body-build didn’t match. This was a different guy, and Castiel wasn’t sure if he appreciated the staring or not.  
  
When he began feeling a little unwell and needing to pee, Castiel left the noisy room and told his friends that he was headed to the bathroom. It was just down the hallway, so he quickly made his way there.  
  
When he came into the bathroom, there were three other guys there. Castiel picked one of the stalls, not wanting to show his private parts to those guys.  
  
He was feeling a little tipsy, and when he was done he washed his face in the sink to clear his head a bit, before going outside.  
  
Castiel had only just exited the bathroom when he bumped face-first into someone’s chest. He blushed and apologized, and looked up to see the guy who had been staring at him earlier.  
  
“Hey there,” the guy said with a flirtatious smile on his lips. “Did you get hurt?”  
  
“No,” Castiel told him, staring up at him.  
  
“You’re that gay boy, aren’t you?”  
  
Castiel tensed a bit. He didn’t know what the guy wanted and he was kind of afraid to admit that he was indeed the ‘gay boy’.  
  
The guy just smiled when Castiel didn’t reply. “I’m not a homophobe. In fact…” He leaned down towards Castiel’s ear to whisper at him. “I was hoping we could go outside together? If you know what I mean.”  
  
A shiver went up Castiel’s spine and his dick hardened without his consent. The guy was pretty attractive. He was tall, had brown hair, and seemed confident. And Castiel was definitely in the mood for sex. After that encounter with the stranger a month ago, he craved more sex and wanted to reach that high he had gotten back then. This guy wasn’t the same man that he had met in the Batman costume, but he had a cock and that was good enough for Castiel. Except that he didn’t really do one-night stands with random guys…  
  
“I-I don’t even know your name,” Castiel finally said, staring at the guy. He wobbled a bit from the drinks he had had, but the guy reached out to steady him with a hand on his arm.  
  
“The name’s Bartholomew,” the guy said, smirking in confidence.  
  
Castiel thought the name was kind of strange, but the guy was still attractive. He still didn’t know whether to say yes or no, and as he stood there, wondering about it, Anna suddenly approached him.  
  
“Cas! You made me hold your drink and then you didn’t even come back,” Anna groused, coming over to him with his apple cider and gave it back to him along with her own drink. “You can hold mine now; gotta use the bathroom too.” She hurried inside, and Castiel found himself standing alone with the guy in the hallway now. There were other people in the other end of the hallway, but they weren’t paying them attention.  
  
Bartholomew continued to smile at him and stepped closer into Castiel’s personal space. “Decided yet?” He moved the back of his hand across Castiel’s cheek, barely touching him.  
  
Castiel shivered at the gesture and only got more aroused. It was rare that he got a chance to get laid, and the alcohol was fogging his mind. Eventually he found himself nodding. “Y-Yes. I’m interested.”  
  
Bartholomew smirked in victory and ran his hands down Castiel’s arms, sending small shivers up Castiel’s spine.  
  
Anna emerged from the bathroom and grabbed her drink again. “You coming?” she asked Castiel, glancing warily at Bartholomew, whom she didn’t know.  
  
“Yeah,” he told her and went back to the party with her to get rid of his drink.  
  
Bartholomew followed him and after Castiel had finished his drink, they headed outside together.  
  
“Better head out of the building. Don’t wanna get caught,” Bartholomew said as he led Cas towards the exit.  
  
“I won’t go off campus with you, though.”  
  
Bartholomew sent him an amused smile. “Don’t worry. Let’s just go to the bushes outside. I’ve got lube and condoms, so don’t worry about that either.”  
  
Castiel followed and as they stepped outside into the cold air, he shivered and ran his hands up and down his own arms to stay warm. Bartholomew just smiled at him before leading him to the side of the dorm building, where there were some bushes they could get some privacy behind.  
  
Then, Bartholomew gently pushed Castiel against the wall and kissed him.  
  
Castiel kissed him back, glad to feel someone else’s body pressing against his own again, even though it wasn’t the body of the person he wanted it to be. He tried to imagine that this was his mysterious stranger kissing him, but the lips felt so different. They weren’t as soft and the taste wasn’t the same.  
  
Bartholomew’s hands roamed over Castiel’s body, and Castiel hummed as the guy touched him in various places; on his stomach, chest, inner thighs, and his shoulders.  
  
Castiel let the other man touch him and get him worked up, but as soon as he started undoing Castiel’s pants and putting his hands inside, Castiel suddenly changed his mind.  
  
This was wrong. It wasn’t the right guy, and Castiel wasn’t like this. He would not just be an object to this guy and let him have his way with him. Every part of him told him that something about Bartholomew was off, and Castiel had to listen to his instincts. Something wasn’t right.  
  
With a harsh shove, Castiel pushed Bartholomew back, still panting from the kiss. “N-No. I don’t want to anymore.”  
  
Bartholomew stared at him, almost confused. “Excuse me?”  
  
“I changed my mind. I don’t want to. Sorry.” Castiel turned to leave, but was then suddenly slammed against the cold wall by a rather upset Bartholomew.  
  
“You can’t just change your mind! You haven’t even tried what I have to offer yet,” Bartholomew said, smiling at him like some sociopath.  
  
Fear spread inside Castiel and he struggled to get away, but Bartholomew grabbed his hands when he tried to hit him and pinned them against the wall. The guy was stronger than him and used his body to keep Castiel in place.  
  
Angry and panicked, Castiel let out a growl and kicked Bartholomew right between the legs, making the other guy cry out in agony and bend over.  
  
Castiel quickly ran away then, desperate to get inside to where other people were.  
  
  


***

  
  
Meanwhile, Dean was walking outside after having exited the other dorm where some of his buddies lived. Buddies. That was all they were. They weren’t exactly his friends, except for Benny and Ash, whom he got along with well. He had known Benny since high school and they had always had each other’s backs. The rest of the guys – including that guy named Tyler – where just people he hung out with to have social network at the college. He played football at college sometimes along with Tyler, and although Dean didn’t really like the guy, he still tolerated him because they were on the same team and needed to get along.  
  
It was cold outside, and Dean wrapped his arms around himself as he walked back to his own dorm. He could have switched dorms through some corridors inside, but he really needed some fresh air. The cold December air felt nice and it helped him clear his head and get rid of some of that stress from his studies. College was tough, and Dean was grateful that he had taken a year off between high school and college to earn some money and take a break from the books. His father hadn’t wanted that; he wanted him to study, study, and study, but this was Dean’s life and he was 19 years old, so he could do whatever the fuck he wanted. His mother and brother Sammy had supported him, which he was eternally grateful for.  
  
Walking towards the dorm, Dean suddenly heard voices coming from the side of the building. One sounded kind of raised and the other a little frightened, which made Dean stop and listen. He heard someone say that they didn’t want to anyway and that they were sorry, and then heard the other guy raise his voice a bit as he spoke. Suddenly there was a loud cry of pain, and Dean was startled when he saw Castiel come running out of the bushes and heading towards him. What surprised him even more was that Cas’ pants were undone and hanging down his hips, and the boy struggled to pull them up and get them zipped as he ran directly in Dean’s direction.  
  
Dean stared at him, eyes wide and surprised, and then Castiel looked up and spotted him too. He saw Cas’ eyes widen and his face pale because he had been caught with his pants hanging below his hips, revealing his light blue briefs to Dean.  
  
Castiel hurried inside as fast as he could, and Dean saw him fumble with his access card to the building before he disappeared into it. Dean could smell a bit of alcohol on him as Cas passed him, so he guessed that Cas had gotten drunk and hooked up with some guy. Or had at least tried to. It made Dean’s stomach curl in what felt like jealousy, even though he had no claim whatsoever on the other boy.  
  
Suddenly a very angry Bartholomew came out of the bushes, cursing under his breath. Dean knew him because the guy lived on the same dorm floor as him and he didn’t like him one bit. He had always had the feeling that it was mutual.  
  
“Where did that fucker go!?” Bartholomew demanded.  
  
Dean couldn’t help but smirk when he saw the dude walking like he had been kicked in the balls. Which he probably had. “Why would I tell you?”  
  
Bartholomew glared at him. “Just get out of my way, Winchester.”  
  
Bartholomew tried to get past Dean and enter the building, but Dean growled and got right up in his face, staring him right into his eyes. The other man shifted and swallowed a bit as Dean glared him down.   
  
“Touch Cas again and you’ll regret it. No means no.”  
  
Bartholomew glared back at him. He straightened up and corrected his shirt, his chin held high. “Whatever you say.” He glared at Dean before pushing past him, heading into the dorm room where he, Dean, and Castiel apparently all lived.  
  
Dean glared at the guy until he was out of his sight, before going inside too.  
  
  


***

  
  
Just like Dean had predicted, Bartholomew soon began spreading a rumor that he had seen Cas fucking with random guys in the bushes behind the dorm. Of course he had left out the fact that it was Bartholomew himself that Castiel had hooked up with and that there hadn’t been any other guys. Dean knew that Bartholomew was pissed that Cas didn’t let him have his way with him; it made him feel some kind of lack of control, and now he was getting back at Cas for it.  
  
Dean first heard about the rumor on Monday evening, when he heard a couple of his buddies talking about it in the cafeteria. He wasn’t surprised that Bartholomew would spread that rumor, but he wasn’t going to let that guy win and make Cas look bad.  
  
“God, that guy is such a slut,” Tyler said as he talked about Cas. He was sitting at the table that Dean was also sitting at, along with a whole bunch of other guys whom Dean knew most of. “Wonder how many guys fucked him.”  
  
“He must have a nice ass if people lined up for it,” one the others slurred, earning laughs from everyone except Dean, Benny, and Ash.  
  
“He didn’t fuck anybody,” Dean cut in, making all the guys look at him. “I know, ‘cause I was there.”  
  
The guys stared at him for a moment before laughing.  
  
“What, you had a piece of his ass too?” Tyler laughed, making fun of Dean.  
  
“No,” Dean growled. Well, he _had_ had a piece once, but not like that. “I just told you no one fucked him. Bartholomew is just spreading rumors because he’s a pathetic whelp that can’t handle the thought that he got kicked right in the balls when he tried to have his way with a quite drunk Castiel, so now he’s spreading rumors. That asshole can never keep his dick to himself.”  
  
“The fag kicked him in the balls?”  
  
Tyler and his friends snickered and laughed, and Dean tried not to punch the guy in the face for calling Cas a word like that.  
  
“Yep, he kicked him good. And Bartholomew was pissed that he didn’t get what he wanted,” Dean said, smirking. He put on a facade in front of the guys to act like he was one of them and that he cared as little about Cas as they did. He needed to make sure that they’d believe him. If he showed them that he didn’t like the way they were talking about Cas, they could think he was just making it up to make Cas look better.  
  
“Oh, that’s right. He’s done that with a few chicks before, hasn’t he? Getting them drunk and dragging them out back for sex?” one of the guys said, glancing at his friends who nodded.  
  
“Damn, he’s a nasty piece of shit,” Benny murmured next to Dean.  
  
“Didn’t know he was into man ass, though. Damn, I’m gonna smear that in his face next time I see him,” Tyler grinned with a malicious look on his face.  
  
Dean was pleased that the guys believed him. He had more creditability than Bartholomew did, seeing as his buddies didn’t like the guy. He knew that the guys would still make fun of Castiel for being gay and letting himself be dragged out back for sex, but it was way better than if they thought that Castiel was just some brainless cock slut who had banged a lot of guys that night.  
  
The guys kept making fun of Bartholomew’s new liking for boy ass, and Dean cringed when he heard them talking bad about Castiel and a few other gay guys they knew at college. It made him clench his fists to listen to those stupid homophobes. Benny and Ash seemed to feel the same, and eventually Benny gestured for the three of them to leave, as none of them wanted to keep listening to that.  
  
Homophobic people like Tyler were the reason why Dean didn’t want to come out of the closet and admit he was bi. He didn’t want to be the subject of the hate and foul words those guys said about anyone with a different sexuality.  
  
  


***

  
  
Castiel had returned to his dorm room after the incident with Bartholomew. He was so angry at himself that he had let the guy drag him out back like that, and he shivered in disgust and fear over the way Bartholomew had treated him. He should have seen it coming, but he had gotten so drunk that he couldn’t think straight anymore. Anna had sensed that something was wrong when he had returned to the dorm, and he had told her about what had happened. She and Samandriel had comforted him and hadn’t judged him at all, and they had followed him back to his room so he could sleep his drunkenness off.  
  
The incident continued to bother Castiel all weekend and he avoided Bartholomew at all costs. Luckily they didn’t live on the same floor and rarely bumped into each other, and he made sure to always be around his friends when he went somewhere. He didn’t trust Bartholomew not to try and touch him again.  
  
When the new week started, Castiel felt strangely happy to go back to classes again and try to forget about what had happened. He dreaded his History class with Dean on Tuesday, especially after Dean had seen him with his pants hanging down his hips like that. It didn’t take a genius to figure out what had happened. It was so embarrassing, and he prayed that Dean wouldn’t tell anyone about it. He was rather sure that Bartholomew would keep quiet, seeing as he wasn’t known to be gay (according to Anna, at least).  
  
Monday passed with no rumors about him or anyone looking at him strangely, and Castiel felt relief when he thought that no one knew about what had happened on Friday night.  
  
However, that was soon about to change.  
  
When Castiel walked into his History class on Tuesday, he avoided Dean’s eye when he saw him sitting on the seat on the fifth row again, diagonally behind Castiel in class. Tyler and his friends were snickering and watching him, but Castiel waved it off as the usual homophobic comments they made about him and tried to ignore them. He sat down next to Charlie, who smiled and greeted him.  
  
The teacher was still not there and class started in five minutes.  
  
Castiel set up his laptop, but soon realized that the battery was running low. Sighing, he got up and found the cable in his bag. He bent over to plug it into the power outlet that was built into the floor, not realizing that his jeans-covered ass was facing Dean, Tyler, and the others behind him.  
  
All of sudden there was a mocking whistle behind him, followed by Tyler making a comment.  
  
“Nice ass you got there, Fag Boy! Too bad Bartholomew didn’t manage to get a piece of it when you offered it up for him!”  
  
Castiel felt his blood go cold and his body freeze.  
  
How did Tyler know about that? Did everyone know about it? Had Bartholomew told people about what had happened? Unlikely. He wouldn’t do that to himself. That only left one person…  
  
Slowly, Castiel straightened up and turned to face the laughing guys behind him. He looked around and saw a few of his other classmates staring at him – some looked surprised, others didn’t.  
  
“What?” Castiel croaked, acting stupid.  
  
Tyler laughed at him. “Dean here told us.” He nudged Dean with his arm, and Castiel watched as Dean shrunk a little when he looked at him. “Said that Bartholomew wanted a piece of your ass and you almost let him. Bet you got disappointed by his small dick and kicked it before running off. But don’t worry; you’ll find a bigger one soon, probably.”  
  
There was snickering among the guys, and Castiel felt nauseous at how they were mocking him. The whole class had heard that, and Cas wanted so badly to just run out and hide himself in the bathroom like he had so often done in high school.  
  
“Would you guys just leave him alone?!” Charlie snapped, pulling at Castiel’s arm to have him sit down again. He let her guide him back onto his seat, and she rubbed his back for comfort while still glaring over at the guys.  
  
The guys just continued to laugh, except for Dean, Ash, and some of their other classmates.  
  
Castiel could feel Dean staring at him, but he didn’t want to turn around and look. Dean was an asshole, just like his buddies, and he was angry that the other boy had told everyone about what had happened. He had never seen Dean participate in making fun of him in class before, so he had for a while thought that he was an okay guy who just hung out with the wrong people. But oh, he had been so wrong. Castiel would now have to listen to even more homophobic and nasty comments, and half of his classmates were whispering about him, all thanks to Dean.  
  
He appreciated Charlie’s support as class went by, and listening to Miss Jody teaching distracted him a bit from the humiliation from earlier. He still heard people whispering about him, and he just wanted to run out of class and get away from everything.  
  
Class still seemed to take forever, and when it was over, Castiel slowly packed his things and let the guys in the back get out first. Charlie stayed with him along with her friends, and they talked to him about how they had heard that Bartholomew was known to take advantage of drunk people like that, but that nothing had ever really been proven. He had gotten away with it every time. Castiel couldn’t say he was surprised to hear about it, but it did make him hate himself even more for having given into Bartholomew’s false charms in the first place. He was supposed to be smarter than that. He was just glad that he had managed to fight Bartholomew off before it got too traumatizing.  
  
Charlie had to go right after they had talked, so they said goodbye and Castiel watched her leave as he got the last of his stuff ready. Only a few more people were in the classroom now, and when Castiel turned to leave he was suddenly approached by Dean.  
  
“Hey,” Dean said, making Castiel turn to look at him in surprise. Castiel immediately tensed up, and Dean seemed to pick up on the anger in his face. “Look, man, I didn’t tell them about what I saw just for the sake of telling them. I told them because—”  
  
“Please spare me your excuses,” Castiel cut him off, feeling so angry that Tyler now had more bad stuff to say about him, just because of Dean and his big mouth. “You could just have kept your mouth shut about it, but you didn’t! I’m tired of being made fun of by stupid, ignorant homophobes like you! Please just leave me alone.”  
  
“Will you please just at least hear me out?!” Dean snapped lightly, grabbing Castiel’s arm as he turned to leave.  
  
Castiel flinched away from his touch because of his anger, not paying attention to how the touch wasn’t as appalling as it maybe should have been. “Don’t touch me, and just leave me alone!” he snarled at him, too hurt and angry to want to listen to another homophobe right now. He’d had enough of them.  
  
Dean pulled back immediately, and Castiel gave him a dark glare before turning to leave, hurrying out of the classroom.  
  
  


***

  
  
After leaving the classroom, Castiel was met by more people whispering about him and snickering as he passed them. Tyler had made sure to tell as many people as possible about Cas having let himself be hooked up for sex at a party, and their old high school classmates who knew his face didn’t waste the opportunity to make fun of him.  
  
Humiliated and upset, Castiel ran towards his dorm and locked himself in his room. Samandriel wasn’t there to talk to, and that was the final trigger for Castiel to just sink down to the floor and cry. He wrapped his arms around his legs while leaning his back against the bed, sobbing and crying, and hating how his sexuality seemed to ruin everything for him.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cas is having a hard time now, but I promise the story will have a happy ending :)
> 
> Thanks for reading, I hope you liked this chapter.


	3. Chapter 3

“Come on, Cas. You can’t hide here forever,” Samandriel said, pulling Castiel’s covers off him as he lay in bed.  
  
Castiel groaned and buried his face in his pillow, not wanting to leave his bed. “Just let me sleep. It’s not like I’m missing out on anything…”  
  
Samandriel sighed, knowing that Castiel just wanted to avoid Tyler and his homophobic friends. Today was Friday and Castiel had History with Tyler and the others. Again. So that meant he wouldn’t be able to avoid them if he tried.  
  
“Well, people have already started leaving you alone about what happened…”  
  
“But not Tyler and his asshole friends,” Castiel muttered into his pillow.  
  
“I thought you said that homophobes didn’t bother you anymore and that you had learned to ignore them? That’s what you said in high school, after your psychologist helped out and such.”  
  
“They don’t… But sometimes they do. Especially Tyler.”  
  
“And you’re gonna let him win by staying away? That’s not like you! Get your butt up!” Samandriel pulled Castiel’s blanket all the way off and threw it to the floor before reaching for his pillow. Castiel protested and tried to hold on to it, but Samandriel managed to grab it and throw it away too, leaving Castiel on a bed with only sheets on.  
  
Castiel scowled at his now laughing friend, shivering at the slight cold after his source of warmth was removed, leaving him in just his thin pajama. He knew that Samandriel was right, though. He shouldn’t let Tyler get to him and make him feel miserable anymore. As much as it hurt to be humiliated for what he was, he was proud of being gay and being open about it, and the people who had a problem with it could just go fuck themselves. That included Dean. Castiel still hated the guy for having brought the news to Tyler in the first place. He was such an asshole.  
  
Finally Castiel got up and got dressed, leaving the dorm room with Samandriel to go have breakfast in the cafeteria with Anna. They always met up there at around 8:45am when their classes started at 9:30. He was grateful that Samandriel was always there to make him find his spirit again, but he still hated having his blanket removed from him like that.  
  
They walked there together, and Castiel was glad that most of the people who had heard about the incident with Bartholomew didn’t seem to spare him a second glance as they passed him. He had come to notice that it was actually Bartholomew who got the worst treatment, especially from the girls. They’d had enough of him taking advantage of drunk girls and now also Castiel, and Castiel didn’t feel sorry for the guy at all that he got sneered at by angry girls. He had run into Bartholomew once the other day, but he quickly changed his direction before Bartholomew could approach him. He didn’t want to face that guy again, ever. At least Castiel had managed to get away from Bartholomew before the experience got too traumatizing, so he didn’t have a big panic attack when seeing him; he just felt nauseous and very uncomfortable.  
  
The cafeteria was crowded and loud as usual, and Castiel and Samandriel quickly found Anna at one of the tables. She beamed when she saw them, and together they shared breakfast and chatted a bit.  
  
Castiel enjoyed the social time with his friends and laughed at the funny stories they told from their classes. He ignored Tyler and his friends, who sat a few tables away and snickered in his direction sometimes. Dean didn’t sit with them though, which briefly surprised Castiel, but he didn’t think much about it.  
  
“I’m glad you’re more cheerful now,” Anna said, smiling at Castiel as they took the final bites of their breakfast.  
  
“Well, he was ready to stay in bed all day, though,” Samandriel spoke, scowling a bit at Cas.  
  
Castiel glared lightly at Samandriel and at Anna for giggling. “Well, the rumors aren’t that bad anymore…”  
  
“You gotta be more careful around people,” Anna told him with a worried look on her face. “You always said you don’t sleep with a guy unless you know him well, and I think you should stay with that. Also, you can never know which people tell gossip about you…” She sent a pointed glare in Dean’s direction and Castiel followed her gaze.  
  
Dean was sitting with the two friends Cas had seen him hanging around with the most, and they were laughing about something. Castiel glared at Dean before looking away, feeling new anger swell up inside him.  
  
“Just take care of yourself, okay?” Anna spoke, putting a friendly hand on Castiel’s shoulder.  
  
Castiel looked at her and nodded. “I will,” he smiled.  
  
Anna smiled back and they continued talking again, switching the topic to Samandriel’s crush and advice on how he could win her over.  
  
After ten minutes, Castiel and his friends got up to leave and get ready for their classes. They got rid of their trash and headed towards the exit, passing by Tyler’s table on the way out.  
  
“Hey, Fag Boy! Flash us that ass in class again, will ya?” Tyler slurred, a malicious grin on his face. His friends all burst out laughing.  
  
Castiel’s cheeks flushed a bit, but he quickly regained his posture. “Not for you, I won’t,” he retorted, glaring at Tyler.  
  
Anna and Samandriel stopped, watching the interaction anxiously, and made it clear to the boys that they had Cas’ back.  
  
“Aww, you hurt me,” Tyler said, acting offended before snickering. “Well, I don’t want your gay ass anyway – you’ve probably got diseases – but your little lesbian friend’s… What was her name? Charlie? Damn, she has a nice ass.”  
  
For some reason that comment made Castiel even angrier than when it had been about his own ass. He didn’t want Charlie to be dragged into this; she hadn’t deserved that. He was about to say something when someone beat him to it.  
  
“Hey!”  
  
They looked up, and Castiel was surprised to see Dean coming over and glaring Tyler down as he approached.  
  
“Just leave the guy alone, will you? I think everyone had enough of your childish, homophobic jokes already,” Dean sneered, keeping his glare directly on Tyler.  
  
Tyler and his friends sat there, dumbfounded. Never before had Dean turned against them and they looked very confused about it now.  
  
“ _What?_ You’re defending that dick-fucker now?” Tyler blurted, a low growl in his chest. He glanced between Dean and Castiel with contempt in his eyes.  
  
“I’ve just had enough of you not respecting others,” Dean growled back.  
  
Benny came over and placed himself next to Dean, crossing his arms and glaring Tyler and the others down. Dean’s posture seemed to relax when he got backup from his friend.  
  
Castiel stared at Dean in bewilderment, not understanding anything at all. What was Dean playing at? Was he trying to score points with Castiel to fool him, or was he actually being genuine?  
  
Tyler continued to look very upset by Dean’s betrayal, as did his buddies. Angrily, they got up from their table, and Tyler glared right at Dean before stalking out of the cafeteria with his friends, making people have to jump to get out of their way.  
  
“Love when that smug asshole gets upset,” Anna smirked, seemingly very pleased that Tyler didn’t get the upper hand this time.  
  
Castiel turned to look at Dean, squinting his eyes a bit. Dean looked back at him, and Castiel stared at him with a hard look until he turned to leave with his friends. Anna and Samandriel followed him out of there, and Castiel didn’t glance back at Dean as he left.

 

***

  
  
History class was in the third period, and Castiel didn’t look at Tyler and his buddies as they walked past him up the steps to sit down on the sixth row behind him. Some other people were occupying the seats in the back lately, so Tyler and his friends sometimes moved closer to Castiel. It wasn’t on all days that they did that, but lately they had done it a lot; probably because they wanted to harass Castiel. Dean came in a few moments later, and Castiel noticed that he seated himself in front now, away from Tyler and the others. Ash sat down next to him and leaned over the table as if going to sleep, like he often did in History.  
  
Castiel didn’t look at Dean. He didn’t trust him and he was still mad at him, and he just couldn’t figure the guy out.  
  
Tyler and his buddies talked about Dean behind his back, loud enough for him to hear, but Dean didn’t pay them any attention. A few others heard it, and Castiel was surprised that Dean didn’t speak up for himself. Perhaps he didn’t want to start a fight in class. Tyler said some pretty nasty stuff about Dean probably being a fag too and telling his buddies that he thought that Dean still slept with a teddy bear on his bed. He was trying to attack Dean’s manliness in every way he could, but Dean wasn’t paying attention at all. He just sat there, looking straight ahead, talking a bit with Ash and clenching his fists on the table.  
  
The class quieted down when Miss Jody entered, and Castiel felt more relaxed when she was there.  
  
“So, as you all know, you have a big project coming up,” Jody said, smiling around at all the students and ignoring their loud groans. “You gotta write a 32,000 character assignment on the Roman ages – details can be seen in the History folder on the intranet – and you must work in groups; either as three people or two. And unfortunately you don’t get to decide who your partners will be… I will do that.”  
  
Everyone in class protested loudly at that, as no one liked to be paired up with a random person.  
  
Castiel was mortified by the news. Getting a random project partner was the worst thing he knew and he couldn’t believe that Jody would do this to them. He swallowed nervously when the thought struck him that he could be paired up with Tyler or one of his buddies. Oh god, please no.  
  
“Yeah, yeah, I know you don’t like the idea, but that’s how it’s gotta be!” Jody said out loud to overpower the noise. “You guys need to mingle a bit more and not always work with the same people. This is also an experiment I’m trying out, so please stop complaining. I have put out a list of project partners on the intranet so you can go see who your partners will be. There will be _no_ switching!”  
  
Everyone quickly went on their laptops to check who their partner would be, and Castiel couldn’t get on the site fast enough. His foot bounced impatiently on the floor when the internet was too damn slow, and he quickly clicked his way to the right folder when the page finally loaded. The list popped up and he looked through it fast, trying to spot his name somewhere. There it was. Castiel’s eyes widened in horror when he saw that Jody had paired him up with _Dean._ And they were a two-person group, so Castiel would be all alone with him.  
  
Hesitantly, he glanced towards Dean on the first row and saw him glancing back, looking just as nervous as himself about it. Great. Of all people it had to be the asshole who had gossiped about him.  
  
“Damn, you got paired with Dean,” Charlie whispered, looking at Cas in sympathy. “Will you be okay?”  
  
Castiel chewed on his lower lip, looking away from Dean again and ignoring him. “I guess I don’t have a choice.”  
  
“Well, I got paired with a hot girl. How lucky can you be?” Charlie grinned.  
  
Castiel chuckled, happy for her that she hadn’t ended up with someone bad. He still didn’t look forward to working with Dean though, but it was better than working with Tyler. At least Dean hadn’t called him nasty names to his face before. Yet.  
  
Class continued and Jody went through the formalities for the project. Luckily she spent a lot of time on that, so when she finally told the partners to find each other and get the basics worked out, there was only twenty minutes left of the class.  
  
Students shifted seats to find their project partners and there was a lot of complaining among some of them. Some didn’t know their partners because they had never met before, but the list had had photos of each student so they could see the face of their project partners.  
  
Castiel saw Dean moving up to sit on the chair on the second row in front of him so he could turn around and face him. Castiel clenched his jaw and acted cold as Dean sat down slowly, avoiding looking the other boy in the face.  
  
“Um, hi,” Dean said dumbly, staring at him.  
  
Castiel’s eyes flickered up to look at his face. He didn’t reply.  
  
Dean sighed heavily, picking up on Castiel’s tense mood. “Look, I know you don’t wanna work with me and that’s fine, but we gotta make this project anyway.”  
  
“Fine. But if I hear any stupid comments from you, I’m doing this project by myself.”  
  
Dean glared at him as if he was offended. “Hey, I’m not here to be mean, okay? I never said a goddamn word against you.”  
  
“No, you only told everyone about my encounter with Bartholomew and humiliated me publically, that’s all.” Castiel glared right back at Dean, not hiding how pissed he was.  
  
Dean clenched his jaw in agitation. “I only did that because it was better than the alternative!” he hissed out, voice low so that no else could hear him.  
  
Castiel frowned in confusion. What did he mean by ‘alternative’? He was tempted to ask, but he really didn’t want to argue anymore with Dean. “Let’s just work on this and get it over with.”  
  
“Yeah, okay.”  
  
Dean still seemed a little irritated and tense, but he got right down to the subject. They discussed some stuff together about how to go about the project and which problems to work with, and Castiel was a little surprised when Dean came up with some good problems. He seemed intelligent, but in Castiel’s book he was still an ass. Yet, there was something about him. Something that Castiel couldn’t quite put his finger on. Dean seemed almost… familiar.  
  
As they sat there and talked, Castiel felt himself relax a little. Dean was actually talking to him in a polite tone now and with respect. Castiel had never experienced that with a homophobe before. When he realized how relaxed he had gotten, he quickly snapped out of it, not wanting to allow himself to let his guard down around Dean. This was a guy who had told Castiel’s worst enemy about something very private and had caused him public humiliation. The school didn’t need to know who he slept with or tried to sleep with, and he was still furious that Dean had gone out and told people about it. Dean wouldn’t have done that unless he wanted to hurt him, so Castiel didn’t trust him one bit.  
  
Class ended and people started making arrangements about when to meet up with their project partners and finish the project. They wouldn’t have any class time for it anymore, so it had to be done in their spare time.  
  
“So, shall we meet up somewhere next weekend and finish it together?” Dean asked while everyone was packing their stuff around them. They had just agreed to write some parts on their own, but they would need to meet up and put the project together, as well as writing the conclusion and stuff.  
  
Castiel chewed on his lip. “No, I can’t. I promised my parents to come home next weekend because my mother has a birthday next Sunday.”  
  
“Oh. Shit, and I’m all booked up next week…”  
  
Castiel pondered for a bit before reluctantly making a suggestion. “I guess you will have to come over to my house then. It’s in the other end of town, and we can work on it there. It’s not like I _want_ you as a guest, but it seems to be the only option.”  
  
Something flickered across Dean’s face then. Whether it was panic, nervousness, surprise, excitement, or a mixture of them all, Castiel wasn’t sure.  
  
“Okay, sounds good to me. Do you have an address?” Dean asked.  
  
Castiel reached into his bag and pulled out a pen and some paper. He quickly scribbled the address down and shoved it into Dean’s hands before beginning to pack his stuff.  
  
“Cool. I’ll, uh, see you then,” Dean said, awkwardly. He got up to return to his seat again, but looked up as Tyler came walking down the steps from his seat behind them.  
  
“Ohh, Fag Boy’s got an appointment with Dean-o here,” Tyler grinned, looking at them mockingly. “Remember the lube and condoms. Fag Boy is contagious,” he told Dean. His friends cracked up behind them and stared at Dean and Castiel with malicious smirks.  
  
Castiel stared into his desk, feeling humiliated and angry.  
  
Dean grit his teeth angrily. “Just shut your face,” he growled at Tyler.  
  
Tyler sneered at him before leaving with his friends, leaving Castiel, Dean, and Ash as the only people left in the classroom, as well as a few girls who were headed towards the back exit. Charlie had left because she had some appointment, but she had waved at Castiel before leaving.  
  
Castiel got up and pulled his bag over his shoulder, turning to look at Dean. “This doesn’t change a thing between us. You’re still an asshole,” he said, glaring at the taller boy.  
  
“Oh, damn,” Ash murmured from the first row, snickering at the way Dean was being talked to.  
  
Dean stared back at him, holding back a flinch. “And you still don’t even know _why_ I did it.” With those words he turned around to leave, gesturing at Ash to follow.  
  
Castiel frowned and watched Dean leave the room.  
  
What had Dean meant by that?

 

***

  
  
Dean returned to his dorm room after History class was over, dropping himself down on his bed with a deep sigh. Having Cas be mad at him was not something he liked, but he couldn’t blame the other boy. Cas didn’t know about the first rumor that Bartholomew had created, so he had no idea what Dean had done for him by telling Tyler about what had really happened. Dean wasn’t worried that Tyler would think that Dean had just made that story up to protect Cas, after he had now suddenly turned against him. Bartholomew hadn’t denied it when he heard about it, so everyone knew that the first rumor had just been bullshit that he had made up.  
  
Finally standing up to Tyler felt good. Dean had never liked him in the first place, but Tyler was on the football team with him and Benny, and Dean shared two classes with the guy. Tyler was the one who had started talking to him and Benny, and they hadn’t stopped talking to him because they needed to get along when playing football. Dean knew he’d have some social problems now because surely Tyler would talk shit about him, but he honestly didn’t care. It was better than hanging out with such a hateful asshole anyway.  
  
When Benny returned to their dorm room, he eyed Dean warily as Dean sat on the bed with his laptop in his lap, getting started on that stupid History project.  
  
“Did you stand up to Tyler to protect that gay boy?” Benny suddenly asked, his calculating eyes still resting on Dean as he stood a few feet away from him.  
  
Dean looked up at him, blinking. “What?”  
  
“I mean, I’m glad that one of us finally said something to that asshole – he was getting on my nerves; teammate or not – but the fact that you did it when he was making insults to that Cas boy made me wonder.”  
  
Dean’s eyes widened and he quickly tried to come up with an excuse. “Um, well, he was being an asshole, so I called him out for it. That’s it.” He shrugged his shoulders causally and looked back at his laptop again.  
  
Benny wasn’t convinced. “You know, I’ve seen the way you look at that boy…”  
  
Dean looked up at him again, trying not to look panicked. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”  
  
“Ever since you spotted him at the Halloween Party you’ve been staring at him like you’re staring at a girl,” Benny explained. There was no judgment or disgust in his voice; he just sounded matter-of-factly. “Don’t get me wrong – I’m not judging you – but if you swing for the other team, there’s no shame in admitting it. I’m totally okay with it if you are.”  
  
Dean stared back at Benny in surprise. It felt like a stone had dropped from his heart to hear his friend say that. “Y-You don’t have a problem with that?” he asked, still not completely sure if Benny was serious or if he was screwing with him.  
  
Benny laughed. “Of course I don’t, dude. Love and attractiveness come in all genders and sizes. You didn’t think I was a homophobe, did you?”  
  
“Well, I actually never really knew…” Dean was still staring at Benny in surprise, processing what his friend had said.  
  
“Actually, I thought _you_ were the homophobe until I saw you checking out Cas’ ass,” Benny chuckled. “So, did you get a piece of it, or what? Or did he get a piece of yours?”  
  
“Dude, I don’t take it in the ass!” Dean blurted, grimacing.  
  
Benny just laughed. “Oh, but he does? Aren’t _you_ a stallion.”  
  
Dean blushed and shifted on the bed, trying to hold his chin up to make up for the blushing with some manliness.  
  
Having Benny’s approval really meant a lot to Dean. That meant that he wouldn’t lose his friend if he ever decided to come out of the closest for real. He was pretty sure that Ash wouldn’t have anything against it either, but Benny was his best friend, so his support meant the most.  
  
Still, how would Dean even get out the closet for Cas when the other boy hated him like the plague at the moment? Having to go to Cas’ house next weekend made Dean kind of nervous, but he also saw it was an opportunity to finally let Cas know why he had told Tyler about Bartholomew. He just wanted Cas to understand _why_ he did what he did. It was agonizing to be hated by him, and he wanted a chance to get along with Castiel.  
  
Either way, he knew he’d have to reveal himself sooner or later as being the stranger Cas had met at the Halloween Party if he ever hoped to get a chance to be with him and be forgiven. He just really hoped that Castiel would still like him once he knew who that masked person was.

 

***

  
  
Castiel wasn’t pleased to have Dean coming over as a guest in his house the weekend after.  
  
He kept thinking about it all week, dreading the upcoming Saturday where Dean would come over. Luckily, Gabriel would be home too, so if Dean acted like an asshole Castiel would have his brother’s help to get rid of him. Inviting a guy over to his house whom he barely knew and who had done something to hurt him wasn’t something Castiel had ever done before and he hated having to do it. But the project was more important than what Castiel would or would not have preferred.  
  
It was Saturday afternoon and Castiel was at his parents’ house, waiting for Dean to arrive. His parents had gone out to visit his aunt and uncle before his mother’s birthday the next day, leaving just him and Gabriel at home.  
  
“So, is that guy hot?” Gabriel asked Castiel as he followed him around in the kitchen, licking on a lollipop.  
  
“Will you stop being so enthusiastic about it?” Castiel snapped, annoyed that his brother had shown a curious interest the moment Castiel had mentioned that Dean was coming over. “I told you already that the guy is an asshole.”  
  
“And yet you say there’s something about him,” Gabriel pointed out. He took his lollipop out of his mouth, pointing it at Castiel while he spoke before putting it back into his mouth again.  
  
“Well, he’s still an asshole,” Castiel murmured, doing some dishes in the sink to keep his mind off things. He was very nervous about Dean coming over and his body trembled a bit in anxiety. He just wanted it over with.  
  
“But when you say there’s something about a guy, it’s usually a good thing.”  
  
Castiel groaned when Gabriel just wouldn’t drop the topic. “I just said that he didn’t seem like that much of an asshole the other day, or all week…”  
  
Castiel had quickly noticed that things between Tyler and Dean and his friends were very different now. They didn’t hang out anymore and they’d glare in each other’s direction whenever they were near one another. Tyler harassed Dean more than he harassed Castiel now, and Dean had retaliated a few times by saying something to humiliate Tyler. That had made Tyler shut up for a while, and Castiel had snickered when he had witnessed the scene in the cafeteria the other day. Dean hadn’t spoken to him, though. He had looked at Castiel a few times – sometimes for quite long – but he hadn’t said anything. One time, he had even smiled at Castiel when they passed each other in the corridor. Castiel was very confused about that, but he still didn’t trust him.  
  
Gabriel stared at him, sucking on his lollipop and not looking away from him. Castiel ignored him until suddenly the doorbell rang.  
  
“Ohh, that must be your procreate partner! Sorry – project partner,” Gabriel corrected himself, snickering uncontrollably when Cas scowled at him.  
  
“Shut up,” Castiel growled, throwing the kitchen towel away and went to get the door. “We can’t procreate with each other anyway,” he muttered, making his way into the entrance hall.  
  
“Aw, but you are such a girl sometimes, Cassie!”  
  
Castiel groaned and ignored his brother. He rubbed his sweaty hands in his dark pants before finally unlocking and opening the front door.  
  
Dean looked up when the door was opened. He stood there in a warm jacket, jeans, gloves, and had his laptop bag hanging by his side. “Um, hi.” He raised one hand to wave at Castiel.  
  
“Hello,” Castiel said, feeling awkward and tense. He stepped aside. “Come in.”  
  
Dean murmured a small ‘thanks’ and entered the house, and Castiel closed the door after him. Dean glanced around the place until Gabriel appeared.  
  
“Ohh, so he _is_ hot!” Gabriel grinned, coming over to greet Dean. “So _that’s_ why you wouldn’t comment on it, Cassie.” He grinned teasingly at Castiel before reaching out his hand to shake Dean’s. “I’m Gabe, Cas’ brother.”  
  
Castiel scowled at Gabriel for being so embarrassing, and watched as Dean chuckled and shook his brother’s hand.  
  
“I’m Dean.”  
  
“Well, _Dean,_ if you hurt my brother while you’re in his room, I’ll come up and kick your ass so hard you’ll be shitting hedgehogs for the rest of your life.”  
  
Fear and caution flickered across Dean’s eyes before he pulled his hand back. “Gotcha. I won’t.”  
  
“Good.” Gabriel sucked on his lollipop again, glancing between Dean and Castiel with a small smirk.  
  
Castiel shifted and let Dean take off his shoes and jacket. He really hated this and he didn’t want Dean at his house, but what choice did he have? It was all just bad timing that it had to be at his house and not at college.  
  
“So, shall we get it done?” Dean asked afterwards, looking at Castiel.  
  
Castiel nodded. “Yes. My room is upstairs.” He went over to the stairs to show Dean the way and the other boy followed.  
  
Gabriel smirked at them around his lollipop, and Castiel glared at him over his shoulder, warning him not to speak another word. Dean was right behind him so he noticed what Cas was doing. It made Castiel blush and hurry up the steps – especially because Dean’s face was almost level with his ass as they walked on the stairs.  
  
Castiel reluctantly led Dean to his room and showed him inside. He had wanted to be downstairs with him, but his father was working on project at work lately and had put a lot of stuff on the living room table, so Castiel had to take Dean up to his own room instead.  
  
Castiel’s room wasn’t much. It was a normal teenage room. It had a large bed in the middle of the room, a desk with lots of pencils, papers, and souvenirs, there was a closet and some drawers, and some posters from his favorite movies on the walls. The walls were painted in a green-shaded color with white frames around the single window in there. The floor was made of wood, but the floor heating made it feel warm when they walked inside, only wearing socks on their feet.  
  
It was very awkward and boundary-breaking to have Dean look around in his room, and Castiel lingered by the door and bit his lip nervously as Dean took it all in.  
  
“So, uh, should we get started?” Dean asked, turning to look at him.  
  
Castiel nodded. “I’ll go get an extra chair.” He left the room to get another chair and when he returned they sat down at his desk together. He let Dean have the more comfortable chair, and he swore he saw reluctance on the other man’s face when he was forced to sit on it, almost as if he didn’t think he was worthy of it.  
  
They pulled out their laptops and opened their documents. They didn’t speak much and there was a kind of unpleasant tension between them. Castiel was still pissed at Dean for what he did, and he knew that Dean knew that. Castiel had never tried to hide it. Still, Dean just seemed to accept it, and he even seemed a little bothered by it.  
  
They had sent what they had written so far to each other during the week so they could read it beforehand, so now they began discussing things they didn’t agree on or things that could be improved. Castiel had been surprised when Dean had sent him stuff that was well-written and interesting to read. Castiel had the feeling that Dean had actually made great efforts to make sure that their project would turn out well.  
  
They discussed things back and forth and changed a few things. They made the introduction together too.  
  
Castiel tried to be friendly, as he didn’t want to end up in a fight, but he had a hard time keeping his anger for Dean out of his posture and his voice. Dean picked up on in it, especially since Castiel wouldn’t look at him much.  
  
They had worked for a little over an hour before Dean suddenly put his laptop aside and turned to look at him with a serious, slightly irritated expression on his face. “Okay, what’s up? You keep not looking me in the face, your voice gets a little snappy sometimes, and I’ve even caught you glaring at me.”  
  
Castiel looked up at him, gritting his teeth. “Can you blame me?” he asked, anger in his voice. “After what you did, you don’t honestly expect me to treat you like a goddamn king, do you?”  
  
“After what I did? You haven’t even let me explain what really happened!”  
  
“Because I don’t want to hear your excuse and made-up stories!”  
  
“You’re so… Goddamn it,” Dean cursed. He took a deep breath and ran his hand down his face to relax himself. “Look, I didn’t tell Tyler about that thing to hurt you or have them harass you. I did it to kill the first rumor that Bartholomew had spread about you.”  
  
Castiel frowned. “What rumor?” He had never heard about a second rumor and he wondered if Dean was even telling the truth to him right now. Dean sounded and looked sincere though, making Castiel perplexed about what to believe.  
  
“He said that he had seen you have sex with several guys behind the dorm building and that you were a, um, slut,” Dean said, somewhat cautiously. “Now, obviously that wasn’t what happened, but Tyler and his stupid buddies bought it. They were gonna tell the whole damn school about that, so I had to stop them. If I hadn’t said what really happened, everyone would be calling you a slut at college right now, and Tyler would have been a worse jerk to you. At least the truth is that you were a victim of that twisted guy’s and not someone who was into public gangbanging. Not that it would be anyone’s business if you were, but still…”  
  
Castiel stared back at Dean. Things started to make sense in his head, but it could also just be that Dean was screwing with him. How could he know if Dean was telling the truth or not?  
  
“And you expect me to believe that?” Castiel asked, coldly. “You could just be saying this to manipulate me. I don’t even know you! But as far as I know, you’re just as bad as the other homophobes at the college.”  
  
“I’m not a homophobe, damn it,” Dean denied, growling in frustration. “And you can ask around at college if you want. Just ask Benny, Tyler, and everyone who lives on the same floor as Bartholomew. You can call your friends right now and have them ask around to confirm it for you.”  
  
Castiel got up from his chair, glaring down at Dean. “I think I will! And if they say you’re wrong, you’re getting out of my house!” he growled, clenching his fists angrily.  
  
“Alright,” Dean said, looking up at Castiel calmly.  
  
Dean didn’t look like a man that had just told a lie, or that he’d think that if Castiel called his friends they would tell him something else. It made Castiel look at him and study him intensely. Perhaps Dean _was_ telling the truth? But why would he protect Cas from that rumor in the first place? It didn’t make sense.  
  
Castiel pulled out his phone to send Anna a text message, asking her to ask around and see if that rumor was true.  
  
Meanwhile, Dean watched him from his seat. He seemed a little nervous, but not about being proven wrong, more like he was impatient to be proven right.  
  
Dean reached into the front of his shirt and pulled out a necklace, absently playing with it by running the attached item along the black leather string while he waited for Cas to send that message.  
  
Castiel quickly typed the message and sent it off before looking at Dean again. There were several moments of silence between them as Castiel waited for Anna to reply, and it felt a little awkward. Suddenly, Castiel’s eyes landed on the amulet that Dean was playing absently with. His eyes widened when he saw it.  
  
No way. It couldn’t be.  
  
“What’s that?” Castiel demanded, pointing at Dean’s amulet. His eyes were wide in shock, because that thing couldn’t be what he thought it was. It just _couldn’t._  
  
Dean’s followed his gaze to his amulet, his eyes widening in horror when he noticed that he had been playing with it in front of Cas. He quickly shoved it back under his shirt. “N-Nothing. It’s nothing,” he said, flashing Castiel a fake smile. “Did your friend reply yet?”  
  
Dean tried to change the topic, but Castiel was certain of what he had seen.  
  
“Let me see that.” Castiel sat down on his chair next to Dean and reached out to pull the amulet into sight again.  
  
“Hey!” Dean protested, trying to push Castiel’s hands away, but Castiel was stubborn.  
  
Castiel grabbed a hold of the necklace and pulled it out into his view, ignoring all Dean’s protests. His eyes widened in disbelief and horror when he recognized the amulet. It was the same amulet that the masked stranger had worn when they…  
  
Oh god. That could only mean _one_ thing.  
  
Slowly, Castiel lifted his shocked gaze to meet Dean’s eyes. All his disbelief and doubts disappeared when he for the first time ever _really_ looked into those eyes and saw the familiar, green eyes of that stranger staring back at him.  
  
Castiel reeled back in shock, staring at Dean with wide eyes. “Y-You’re…”  
  
Dean looked back at him before lowering his gaze a bit, awkwardly. He moved his hand up to rub the back of his neck a little, just like he had done when he was wearing that Batman costume. It seemed to be a habit of his when he got nervous or shy. “Um, yeah. That would be me. Without a mask on… But still a closet case.”  
  
Castiel shot up from his chair, still unable to believe this was actually happening. He stared back at Dean, who now looked straight back at him, and they stared into each other’s faces until Castiel’s phone buzzed on his desk. He flinched in surprise and saw Dean flinch a bit too. Anna was calling him. Quickly he grabbed his phone to hear what Anna had to say. She confirmed that others in the dorm had indeed heard Bartholomew telling that rumor about Castiel before it had come out that Bartholomew had actually taken advantage of Cas while he was drunk. The rumors had slowly spread out on Sunday evening already, Anna said, but Dean’s new information had killed the rumor before it could spread properly through Tyler.  
  
Relief washed over Castiel.  
  
So Dean had been right after all. Bartholomew had spread an untrue rumor about him and Dean had had to tell the truth to kill that rumor, because Bartholomew couldn’t escape the fact that he had done the same thing to others as he had done to Castiel. Others would believe Dean’s story over Bartholomew’s.  
  
Dean watched as realization flickered across Castiel’s face. He waited for Castiel to hang up the phone before talking. “So… Has my innocence been proven yet?” he asked slowly and with caution.  
  
Castiel put his phone away and blinked down at Dean. “I… Yes. Anna said it was true. She asked several people who all confirmed it.”  
  
Dean nodded, looking pleased and relieved. “Good. I didn’t want Bartholomew to get away with what he had done to you or what he had said, or have Tyler harass the shit out of you because of it. I know he hasn’t been nice to you anyway, but it would be a lot worse if Bartholomew had gotten away with his rumor… I didn’t really have a choice. I’m still sorry that I told him, though. I just didn’t know what else to do.”  
  
Dean glanced up at him with such sincerity that it made Castiel swallow guiltily for ever having been mad at him.  
  
“I… I guess I owe you an apology then,” Castiel spoke, staring at the floor. “I shouldn’t have treated you like that.” Now he felt kind of ashamed for having treated Dean like shit when the other man had only wanted to help him. He still couldn’t quite believe that it was _Dean_ who was his mystery guy from the Halloween Party, but it explained why he had felt kind of relaxed around him last week when they had begun working on their project.  
  
Dean just smiled at him and shrugged. Slowly, he got up from his chair and stood in front of Castiel. “That’s fine. You just thought that I was an asshole, which I kind of was. But I _did_ have my reasons to tell Tyler about your encounter with Bartholomew…”  
  
Castiel blushed furiously, remembering the night when he had run into Dean with his pants hanging around his hips. How embarrassing. “I should have let you explain yourself earlier… I’m sorry.”  
  
“No problem. Glad we got that that figured out now.”  
  
Castiel agreed. He glanced between the floor and Dean, shifting shyly and awkwardly. This was the guy he had allowed to bend him over a teacher’s desk and fuck him breathless just one and a half months ago. He and Dean had had _sex._ Oh god, it was almost unreal. And so embarrassing.  
  
“So, uh, you’re not mad at me anymore?” Dean asked, trying to meet Castiel’s eyes. “I mean, not just about what I told Tyler, but also… you know.”  
  
“About you not telling me that you were the guy in the Batman suit who I met at the party?”  
  
“Well, yeah…”  
  
“No, I’m not mad. Just kinda… It’s awkward.” Castiel blushed furiously and stared down at his feet, wishing the floor would just swallow him.  
  
Dean grinned. “I thought it was nice. That night.”  
  
Castiel blushed more and had to look away from Dean so that his head wouldn’t explode. “M-Me too. I can’t believe I didn’t, um, recognize you sooner.”  
  
“Well, I didn’t give you many leads to go by. I just wasn’t ready to come out about it yet,” Dean spoke, chuckling softly at Castiel’s red face.  
  
“I don’t blame you. Just look at how they treat _me._ ”  
  
“Tyler is just an asshole. I don’t care about anything he says and neither should you. You’re perfect the way you are,” Dean said, smiling as Castiel lowered his gaze in embarrassment. Dean stepped a little closer to him, invading his personal space and leaned in so he could whisper at him. “ _And_ you have a nice ass,” he smirked.  
  
Castiel was dying from embarrassment now, and he pushed Dean hard in the chest and shoved him away. “Well, you would know, you asshole!”  
  
Dean laughed at him and seemed relieved that Castiel was talking in a more playful and embarrassed tone now instead of that angry tone he had used earlier.  
  
Suddenly everything between them had changed. It was like they were once again sitting at that Halloween Party, having a few drinks and talking together like they had known each other for a long time. Except this time Castiel could actually see Dean’s face and wasn’t just staring back at a Batman mask.  
  
When they both noticed the sudden change in tone and atmosphere between them, they shared a small smile.  
  
“I’m glad I can talk properly to you again. You’re first person I’ve met whom I can talk so easily with,” Dean said, rubbing the back of his neck again, almost shyly.  
  
Castiel smiled sheepishly. “Same. That’s what I liked about you at the, um, party.”  
  
Dean just smiled at him and Castiel smiled back, until suddenly there was a rumbling noise coming from Dean’s stomach.  
  
Castiel’s eyes widened. “Oh god, I didn’t even ask if you were hungry! I’m so sorry.”  
  
Dean laughed at him. “No problem. Up until about five minutes ago, I was an asshole anyway.”  
  
“Well, you’re still somewhat of an asshole,” Castiel told him, glaring at him. His cheeks were still flushed from all the embarrassment earlier, so his glare was softened by that. “You just left me in that classroom without giving me your number…”  
  
Dean flashed him a cocky smirk – the same kind of smirk that Cas had seen on his lips when they had met at the party. Castiel felt a small shiver of arousal run up his spine when he saw it.  
  
“Oh, was I that good? You can have my number now if you want seconds.”  
  
Once again Castiel’s face went red like a tomato, and he lashed out and slapped Dean’s arm in embarrassment. “Shut up!” he groused, blushing so hard. He shivered when he felt his hand touch Dean’s muscles on his upper arm when he had slapped him. Oh god. A few minutes ago he had hated Dean like the plague, but now that everything had been cleared out between them and Castiel knew who he was, it was like everything about Dean turned him on. Sure, he had thought that Dean was attractive even when he had been mad at him, but his anger had kept him from being properly attracted to him. Plus, now that he knew that Dean was his mystery stranger, all those memories of their heated encounter flashed back to him. He still remembered so well what Dean’s hands had felt like on his naked hips, how he had kissed him and sucked bruises on his neck, and what his cock had felt like inside him. The memories made his dick twitch and his body shudder in arousal, but he didn’t let Dean see that.  
  
Dean just laughed at him, rubbing the spot he had hit.  
  
“I’ll go make us a sandwich,” Castiel announced, turning to leave the room. Dean followed him, appearing to be quite happy about getting some food into his stomach. Castiel was quite hungry as well, actually.  
  
They walked closer to each other than they had done before, and Dean told him about having been scared half to death when he had almost tripped over a cat when he got out of his car in front of Castiel’s house earlier, which made Castiel laugh because he could picture it so well. Dean seemed like a pretty manly guy, and picturing him yelping like a girl because of a cat was pretty funny to Castiel.  
  
They walked into the kitchen, where Gabriel was busy grabbing snacks from the cupboards. Gabriel spun around when he heard them enter the room, looking like a kid caught with his hands down the cookie jar.  
  
Castiel groaned and crossed his arms at his brother. “Are you looking for candy _again?_ ”  
  
“You got no right to judge me! I’m sugar addicted!” Gabriel said defensively, holding his chin up high and closing the cupboard behind him. Behind his back he tried to hide a Twix bar that he had managed to find, but both Dean and Castiel had already seen it in his hands.  
  
Dean snickered as Castiel glared at his brother, which finally made Gabriel look at him.  
  
Gabriel glanced between the two of them before smirking knowingly. “So, you two seem to be having fun together now. Heard Cassie laughing when you came in here. And earlier he was busy telling me how much of an asshole you are, Dean… He sure changed his mind fast.”  
  
Castiel shifted awkwardly, feeling a little stupid about everything now. “Well, he explained himself to me. I’m not mad anymore…”  
  
“Did you have nice make-up sex with him since you look so happy about it?”  
  
 _“Gabriel!”_ Castiel chided, glaring daggers at his brother for being so embarrassing.  
  
Dean laughed at them, seemingly amused by their sibling quarrels.  
  
Castiel shot his brother a warning glare before going over to the fridge to find some stuff they could put in a sandwich. He bent over forward to get something from in there, making both Dean and Gabriel stare at his ass.  
  
“Cassie, don’t flash your ass at your man visitor. That’s indecent,” Gabriel groused, opening the bar of Twix that he had found in the cupboard and took a bite from it.  
  
Castiel quickly straightened up. He hadn’t even noticed that his ass had been facing directly at Dean. He glanced over his shoulder at Dean, who just chuckled and continued to check him out. Castiel found himself not minding that Dean checked him out at all. He was really flattered by it, actually.  
  
This was really not how he had expected the day to turn out.  
  
Castiel proceeded with making them a sandwich and asked Dean what he wanted in his. They both wanted the same; some ham, cheese, a bit of iceberg salad, yellow peppers, and some mayonnaise to not make it too dry.  
  
“So,” Gabriel began while Cas worked on the sandwiches. “How’s the project going? Unless you didn’t even get started on that yet because my brother’s ass is so distracting.”  
  
“I’m warning you, Gabriel,” Castiel growled from where he was fixing the sandwiches, not even looking at his brother as he spoke.  
  
Dean looked at them in amusement before replying. “We did work on it. Just missing the conclusion, putting it all together, and making a cover. Should be done in about an hour.”  
  
“Wow, you got that far already? Either you’re just as good as Cas or he did the whole thing. He often disagrees with his project partners on certain things. He’s such a perfectionist,” Gabriel murmured, glancing in Cas’ direction. Castiel groaned irritably at him but didn’t make a comment.  
  
“Actually we each did about half of it. He did correct me on some stuff, but I corrected him as well.”  
  
“Wow, and he accepted your criticism?” Gabriel sound very amazed by that, which only agitated Castiel more.  
  
“He had good points, and I’m not closed about other people’s ideas, Gabriel,” Castiel groused.  
  
“But you always criticize what _I_ do! Like you did earlier when I looked for candy.”  
  
Castiel sighed heavily, deciding not to bother with his brother anymore.

 

 

***

  
  
They went up to Castiel’s room afterwards to eat their sandwiches and drink their cokes while working on the last pieces of their project.  
  
This time they sat closer to one another. It was nice that the tension was gone, but it had left a bit of awkwardness behind. After all, both of them remembered their one-night stand pretty well, and it was awkward for Castiel to sit next to the guy who had fucked him over a table once and now suddenly work on a history project with him like nothing had happened. They weren’t even a couple or anything.  
  
They concentrated mostly on the project, but also found themselves smiling at each other and making small jokes about the content they had written. Dean was so easy to talk to now that Castiel had softened up about him, and Castiel couldn’t stop staring at him whenever Dean wasn’t looking. He hadn’t been able to see the other man’s freckles at the party because of the mask, but now he could see them. They were beautiful and entrancing, and Castiel almost wanted to count them.  
  
After an hour their project was done, like Dean had predicted.  
  
They each saved a version on their own computer, and sat around for a few moments afterwards, in silence.  
  
“So, uh, thanks for the sandwich. It was very good,” Dean said, turning to look at Cas with a sincere smile.  
  
Castiel smiled back shyly. “You’re welcome.”  
  
Dean rubbed the back of his neck when there was silence between them again. “I guess I should head home.” He was about to get up from his chair when Castiel suddenly spoke.  
  
“You know, you never did give me your number.”  
  
Dean blinked. “Right. Still want it?” he asked, again with that cocky smile.  
  
“Well, you did offer seconds…” Castiel pointed out. He reached out to grab his phone, blushing hard after the words had left his mouth. He was flirting with Dean, he knew that, but he just couldn’t help it.  
  
Dean grinned. “That I did.” He let Castiel open his contact list before telling him his number, and afterwards he grabbed his own phone to get Castiel’s number as well.  
  
When the numbers had been exchanged, Dean slowly got up from his chair. Castiel got up as well, standing in front of Dean and shifting awkwardly. He kind of didn’t want Dean to leave, though. He felt like he was just getting to know him properly.  
  
“Man, it’s already 6pm…” Dean said, glancing at the clock.  
  
“Yeah… Do you have to be somewhere?” Castiel asked, raising his gaze to look at him.  
  
Dean shrugged. “Nah. I’m thinking of dropping by my parents’ place tonight. Haven’t seen them for a while, and I kinda miss Sammy…”  
  
“Sammy?” Castiel frowned.  
  
“My brother,” Dean explained. “The one who gave me this.” He reached up to touch his amulet, running his thumb across its shiny surface. “He’s four years younger than me, so he’s 15 now. And still such a brat.”  
  
The way Dean smiled when he spoke about his brother made Castiel smile too. “You sound like you’re very close.”  
  
“We are. Always have been. I’m not all that close with my dad, though… He’s kind of old-fashioned and he’s one of the reasons why I haven’t, um, jumped out of the bi closet yet.”  
  
“I see…”  
  
“Well, it’s not like I’m attracted to _all_ guys. I only find myself being attracted to a few types,” Dean explained, keeping his eyes on Castiel. “But, uh, when I saw you it felt different… There’s just something about you.”  
  
They stared into each other’s eyes for a few moments until Castiel smirked. “Last time you told me that, things got pretty heated…”  
  
Dean laughed, stepping a little closer to Castiel and stared down at him. “Mm. I don’t mind when things get heated…”  
  
Castiel shuddered and closed his eyes when Dean brushed his cheek gently with his hand. He slowly opened his eyes again and stared right back into Dean’s green ones, seeing the same desire in them as he felt inside his own body. They were so close, and slowly they leaned their faces closer to one another. Castiel closed his eyes as their lips brushed. Shivers ran up his spine and it felt so right. This was what he had been missing that night with Bartholomew; that spark. A spark that only felt right with Dean. Not even with Balthazar had it felt this right.  
  
Their lips connected more in a soft, exploring kiss. Dean slowly moved his hand up and cupped Castiel’s cheek, deepening the kiss in the process. Their lips touched and played, and Dean’s tongue came out to lick Castiel’s lower lip, making him shiver. It was intimate, nice, and so _right._ Castiel couldn’t suppress the needy moan that escaped his mouth as Dean licked his tongue across his lips.  
  
From then on things got wilder and more desperate.  
  
Dean moved his hand into Castiel’s hair and grasped it like he had done that night, making Cas lean his head back so he could plunge his tongue into his mouth. Castiel mewled in reply and grasped at Dean’s shirt, moaning into the other man’s mouth.  
  
“Fuck, you still taste so good,” Dean moaned when they pulled apart to breathe. His lust-dilated eyes stared right back into Castiel’s, and Castiel could feel the bulge of Dean’s erection against this own. “Dreamed about this. About having you again.”  
  
“Mm, me too,” Castiel hummed before grabbing Dean by the back of his head and crushing their mouths together again.  
  
Dean let out a pleased growl and tightened his hand in Cas’ hair, bending him backwards a bit while he devoured his mouth. His other hand moved over Castiel’s clothed body, feeling his shape and figure, like he wanted to map it in his mind.  
  
This was not what Castiel had expected them to be doing when he had invited Dean over, but oh, how things had changed.  
  
Every time Dean touched him he felt shivers of arousal running up his spine and into every pore in his body. He had never felt this attracted to someone before, and he was desperate to have Dean fuck him again.  
  
Dean’s hand suddenly found its way to Castiel’s ass, squeezing it tightly. Castiel let out a needy whimper into Dean’s mouth, bucking forward and making their erections rub together. They both let out a long groan of approval at that, and Dean pressed Castiel against his own body so that their erections stayed in touch through their clothes.  
  
Castiel was so turned on he could come right now, but he didn’t want to yet. Impatiently, he grabbed at Dean’s shirt, trying to yank it off him.  
  
Dean got the hint and stepped back so that he could throw his shirt off. He now stood in front of Castiel with his chest naked, and Castiel stared at the exposed skin. It was exactly what he had imagined Dean would look like under his shirt, only better. He was lean and muscled, and a tiny bit more tan than Castiel was. Castiel did have a thing for lean, muscled chests and broad shoulders, and Dean was like a fucking _model._ It was a gorgeous sight that made Cas’ dick twitch painfully in his pants.  
  
He barely had time to look at Dean before Dean came over and started pulling his shirt off too. Castiel let him, and he watched as Dean’s hungry eyes took in the sight of him without a shirt on. He wasn’t as muscled as Dean, but he wasn’t a girl either. He had muscles, but not much since he never cared to do anything about them like Dean did.  
  
Next were the pants, and Castiel bit his lip to control his arousal as Dean opened his pants for him and rubbed his erection through his briefs to tease him.  
  
“You look like you’re about to come. Do I turn you on that much, Cas?” Dean teased, saying the words right into Castiel’s ear as he rubbed his hand gently over Castiel’s member, trying to get an idea of its size and shape. Castiel wasn’t as well-endowed as Dean was; he was an average size, and personally he liked the way his dick looked.  
  
“Yes. So much,” Castiel admitted, moaning softly as Dean’s hand rubbed him so nicely.  
  
Dean hummed in approval and leaned in to kiss Castiel’s bared neck. “You turn me on too. Every time I saw you after that night at the Halloween Party, I got so hard I had to look away from you.”  
  
Castiel closed his eyes and shivered at Dean’s words. He had always liked to think that his mystery guy would look at him in the corridors afterwards, and it seemed like he had.  
  
“Fuck, stop teasing. I want you,” Castiel breathed, whining softly as he bucked forward into Dean’s hand.  
  
Dean grinned against Castiel’s neck and nibbled at his jaw. “I was hoping I’d get to hear you say that again.” He then pulled down Castiel’s pants and his underwear and let him step out of them.  
  
Castiel was a little embarrassed when Dean licked his lips when he saw his dick for the first time, but then Dean hastily began undoing his own pants. Castiel pulled Dean down for another kiss again, desperate to feel his lips against his own, and used his other hand to help Dean undo his pants.  
  
Swiftly Dean got out of his jeans and boxers, and they took off their socks as well before they moved over to the bed. Castiel pushed Dean back on the bed and climbed up on top of him. He heard Dean growl a bit, since it was quite obvious that he liked to be the one in charge in bed, which Castiel didn’t mind, but Castiel wanted to do something first.  
  
Castiel quickly settled himself between Dean’s legs, looking up at Dean’s face as he grabbed a hold of Dean’s cock and licked a stripe up its underside. He loved the size and weight of it. It was perfect and gorgeous, and he shivered in anticipation when thinking of having it inside him again soon.  
  
Still keeping his eyes locked with Dean’s, Castiel licked Dean’s cock in exploration and swirled his tongue teasingly over the head before taking it into his mouth.  
  
“Fuck,” Dean cursed, his hand jumping down to grasp Castiel’s hair again.  
  
Castiel mewled around the thick member as Dean pulled his hair a bit and kept it in a tight grasp. He loved when Dean did that and it made his own cock twitch painfully between his legs. He sucked on Dean’s cock, taking in its taste and size, loving how his hand didn’t even fit around it. It tasted good. Far better than Balthazar’s, and Castiel hummed as it filled his mouth.  
  
Dean moaned under Castiel’s ministrations, keeping his hand in Cas’ hair to have some control. “Shit. You’re so good at that. Mmm.”  
  
Castiel smirked proudly, sucking Dean extra harder to please him.  
  
Dean’s hitched breathing told him that he liked it, and Castiel could keep sucking his cock forever, if only he wasn’t so impatient to feel that cock inside his ass again.  
  
With an obscene pop, Castiel pulled off. As soon as Dean’s cock left his mouth, he was being pushed down on his back on the bed so that their positions were switched, and then Dean’s tongue plunged into his mouth in a desperate kiss. Castiel kissed him back eagerly, bringing both his hands up to bury them in Dean’s short hair and moaned shamelessly as their dicks rubbed together. Dean seemed to be incredibly horny and out of it from arousal, which only turned on Castiel more. Fuck, this was so hot.  
  
Dean kissed him hard until he pulled away to speak. “You got lube this time?”  
  
Castiel nodded and clumsily reached out his hand towards the nightstand next to his bed. He opened the drawer and rummaged through it until he found what he was looking for.  
  
Dean took the lube from his hands and opened it. Meanwhile Castiel got up and settled himself on his hands and knees in front of Dean to make it easier for him to prep him.  
  
“Mm, so eager for it, aren’t you?” Dean teased, amusement in his voice.  
  
Castiel leaned down on his elbows and wiggled his ass in front of Dean. “Please just do it. Been so long…”  
  
“Mm, too long,” Dean agreed. He put one hand on Cas’ ass, rubbing it and feeling it, until he gently parted his cheeks to reveal the pink hole between them.  
  
Castiel was blushing so hard, always feeling self-conscious when someone stared at his ass like that, but at the same time it turned him on a lot.  
  
“Fuck, it’s so pink and pretty. There wasn’t enough light around for me to enjoy the sight last time,” Dean spoke, watching as Castiel’s hole twitched when he rubbed it gently with his thumb.  
  
Castiel shuddered and rested his forehead on the sheets while leaning on his elbows. “God, stop staring. So embarrassing…”  
  
Dean smirked and slapped his ass gently. “I think you like it when I stare, don’t you?”  
  
Castiel blushed hard, glad that Dean couldn’t see his face. He waited impatiently for Dean to stop staring at him and finally start stretching him so they could have sex. When Dean gently put a lubed finger inside him, he shivered at the cold temperature the lube had. Dean’s other hand patted his butt to soothe him, and Castiel closed his eyes and moaned at the feeling of Dean stretching him and his fingers twisting around inside him.  
  
Dean took his time, not wanting Castiel to feel uncomfortable when he finally pushed into him.  
  
Castiel pushed back onto the fingers inside him until he was finally ready. “Dean. I’m ready now.”  
  
“You better be, ‘cause I’m tired of waiting.” Dean slapped Castiel’s ass playfully after pulling his fingers out, making Castiel jump in surprise and blush. Dean just chuckled at him before gently nudging Castiel and gesturing for him to roll over on his back instead.  
  
Castiel quickly did so, even though he felt kind of reluctant about it. Facing each other was more intimate, but as Dean settled himself on top of his body and looked at him with those gentle, green eyes, Castiel felt relaxed. He placed his hands on Dean’s strong shoulders and spread his legs to frame Dean’s hips as the other man got into position. Dean guided his cock into Castiel’s entrance, going slow at first until he pushed up into him hard, making Castiel cry out in pleasure.  
  
“Ah god!” Castiel cried out, feeling Dean’s cock slide along his inner walls and hit his prostate with the very first thrust. The stretch was amazing, like it had been last time, but in this position Dean felt even bigger. He held onto Dean’s shoulders and back as Dean started moving and began pounding him into the mattress.  
  
“Fuck, you feel so good,” Dean moaned, kissing Castiel’s jaw and held him tight as they fucked. “Don’t hold those noises back. I wanna hear you.”  
  
“B-But my brother is—”  
  
“Listening to loud music in his room. I can hear it from here,” Dean cut him off, grunting every time he thrust into Castiel. “Don’t hold back,” he said again, like an order.  
  
Castiel nodded. Fuck, this was driving him insane with arousal. Dean seemed to know what turned him on; the dirty talk, the orders, the teasing, the kissing, and the hard pounding he was giving him. All Castiel could do was to hold on to him and moan at all the pleasure he felt as Dean moved inside him and squeezed his dick between their bodies. He dug his nails into Dean’s back and shoulders, making the other man hiss, but Castiel could tell that Dean liked it.  
  
“Fuck,” Dean grunted, panting and grunting above Castiel. “You’re just taking it. Such a good boy…”  
  
Castiel whimpered, so close to coming already that it was agonizing. “Dean, please…”  
  
He knew that Dean knew what he was begging for. Dean was avoiding his prostate on purpose and he wanted Dean to stimulate it. But Dean was such a tease that he wouldn’t give him what he needed right away.  
  
Instead, Dean kissed him again, moaning into his mouth as he tasted him. His hand grasped Castiel’s hair like he had before, drawing mewls from him. He made sure that his cock didn’t strike Castiel’s prostate, but that his dick got stimulated between them as he thrust into Castiel hard and steady.  
  
“Hard enough for you?” Dean asked, panting as he kept up the fast, hard pace.  
  
Castiel nodded. “Yes. So good.”  
  
“Mmm.” Dean hummed and nibbled at Castiel’s jaw. He could without doubt feel Castiel’s muscles tightening as his orgasm approached. “Gonna come soon?”  
  
Castiel nodded again, moaning shamelessly under him. “Y-Yes. Fuck! _Please!_ ”  
  
Dean let out a pleased hum at the begging before adjusting his hips a bit. Castiel tried to shift as well to help Dean find what he was looking for, until suddenly his prostate was struck just perfectly inside him, making Castiel cry out and arch his back.  
  
“Found it,” Dean smirked. “So hot…” He purred and leaned in to suck bruises into the skin on Castiel’s neck, his hand still gripping his hair tightly.  
  
Castiel shuddered. Dean’s cock struck his prostate with every single thrust now, and the way Dean was kissing and sucking on his neck like he owned him drove him insane with arousal. His orgasm pooled in his abdomen, delicious and strong, until he finally dropped over the edge. He cried out as he came, jerking under Dean’s body and shot his release between them. It was like reaching the stars, and he couldn’t believe the mind-blowing orgasms he had with Dean. All he could do was hold on to Dean and enjoy every second of his release while his body jerked helplessly under the other man’s larger frame.  
  
Dean soothed him through it and kissed his neck almost tenderly until he came too, driving into Castiel’s body hard. He growled out his release, shooting his load deep inside Castiel. He continued to fuck into him hard and slow until it was over, and Castiel moaned at the warm feeling of Dean’s seed inside him.  
  
Panting, they went limp on the bed, trying to catch their breaths again.  
  
Dean pulled out of Cas when his dick went soft, and Castiel whimpered a bit at the emptiness.  
  
Castiel’s heart was beating so fast in his chest, and his body felt nice and sated after his orgasm. It was just as good as the first time they had sex, if not better. Dean was a bit heavy on top of him, but he kind of liked it. He listened to the other man trying to catch his breath and rubbed Dean’s back a bit in a soothing gesture as they both calmed down from their high.  
  
“Fuck, that was awesome,” Dean then grinned, leaning up on his elbows and looked down at Castiel.  
  
Castiel chuckled and moved his hand up to touch Dean’s small stubble curiously. “Yes, it was.”  
  
Dean smiled, looking into Castiel’s eyes as Castiel ran his hand across his slightly stubbled cheek. “Can I keep you?” he asked, voice like a whisper.  
  
Castiel stared back at him with a small frown. “Are you asking to be fuckbuddies or are you asking for something more?”  
  
“Well, preferably something more… Unless you still think I’m an asshole?”  
  
Castiel snorted. “If I still thought you were an asshole, you wouldn’t be in my bed.”  
  
“Point taken…”  
  
Castiel stared up at Dean’s face, biting his lower lip softly. “Um, are you sure you’re ready to, um, be something more with me and have everyone know about it?”  
  
Dean grinned. “So that means you _do_ wanna be something more?”  
  
Castiel blushed. “Yes. I like you. I’ve never felt this connection with someone before, and this feels right. I’m just worried that you’ll change your mind…”  
  
“I won’t. Tyler and his asshole friends can go fuck themselves if they have a problem with us, and so can everyone else. I’ve wanted you since I first saw you, and they’re not gonna keep me away from you,” Dean said, sounding very determined and sincere.  
  
Castiel couldn’t help but grin, feeling so happy that he could burst with it. “Same here.”  
  
Dean grinned at him before capturing his lips in another kiss, grasping his hair. Castiel kissed him back, wrapping his legs around Dean’s waist and pressing him tighter against him. Their softened dicks touched, making them moan and feel a little oversensitive.  
  
Suddenly the door burst open and Gabriel entered, sounding very excited. “Holy crap! Kali just agreed to go on a date with me, can you believe— _Jesus fucking Christ! Why are you naked?!_ ”  
  
 _“GET OUT!”_ Castiel yelled at him, grabbing his second pillow and throwing it at Gabriel’s face before his brother could leave.  
  
Gabriel quickly ran out the door and shut it behind him, and they could hear him running away down the hallway and cursing in disgust.  
  
Castiel was absolutely mortified. He was pretty sure that Gabriel hadn’t seen _his_ private parts because he was lying under Dean, but he had without doubt seen the glory of Dean’s naked ass and perhaps some of his balls as well. And he would have seen the way Castiel’s legs were wrapped around Dean’s hips. That was so embarrassing and Castiel never wanted to face his brother ever again.  
  
Dean laughed as Castiel groaned and hid his face behind his hands. “What’s wrong? It wasn’t _your_ ass he saw, and I don’t care that he saw mine.”  
  
“But I don’t really want my _brother_ seeing my boyfriend’s ass while I’m in bed with him,” Castiel groaned, still hiding behind his hands. He froze when he realized he had used the word ‘boyfriend’. They had just agreed to be something more, and that would make them boyfriends, but it was the first time that either of them had used that word. He swallowed and slowly removed his hands from his face, looking up at Dean who just had a happy smile on his face.  
  
“Well, your boyfriend has a nice ass, so Gabe won’t go blind,” Dean said, moving his hand through Castiel’s hair affectionately. “But yours is much nicer. And sexier.”  
  
Castiel blushed a bit as he chuckled at Dean’s comment. “And it’s sore.”  
  
“Good sore, I hope?”  
  
“Of course.”  
  
Dean smiled and caressed Castiel’s cheek with his hand, staring into his face and eyes. “You know, I never did think we’d end up as boyfriends this soon.”  
  
“I don’t usually form a couple with someone this fast either, but you’re… different.”  
  
“So are you,” Dean smiled, leaning down to kiss him briefly on the lips. “I promise I won’t do anything to deserve to be called an asshole by you again.”  
  
“Mm, good. I will keep you to that promise. And then I can hang out with you at college without being ashamed of dating an asshole.” Castiel gave Dean a wicked smirk, his hand moving up to cup Dean’s cheek again and rub the stubble absently.  
  
Dean snorted and chuckled at him. “No. Instead, you’ll be dating the hottest guy in town. How about that?”  
  
Castiel rolled his eyes at Dean’s cocky smirk and chuckled at him, before pulling Dean down for another kiss to make him shut up.  
  
They melted into the kiss, happy that they had ended up with each other after all.

 

***

  
  
On Monday the two of them walked proudly down the crowded corridors, holding hands for everyone to see. For Dean, this was a very important moment, as he would finally be coming out of the closet in public. He had been little nervous about that since it was a big step for him, but with Castiel’s and his friends’ support it was a lot easier than he had first thought.  
  
Some of the people they knew stopped and stared in disbelief as they passed them, while others either didn’t react or started cheering at them.  
  
People’s opinions didn’t matter much to the new couple, and Castiel had never felt happier as he held his boyfriend’s hand and entered the cafeteria with him. Their friends greeted them with happy cheers and hugs, and Benny and Ash were proud that Dean was finally coming out and being content with his attraction to Castiel.  
  
Tyler and his buddies were gaping at them in disbelief, but they ignored the homophobic comments they got from them. The comments were overpowered by their classmates’ smiles as they looked happy for them, and Castiel squeezed Dean’s hand in joy as their friends congratulated them. Even Charlie came over and threw her arms around them, happy that their gay love was finally seeing the light.  
  
They both knew that it would be tough to deal with the homophobes in the next three and a half years at college, but they were both certain they could pull through it. As long as Dean had the support of his friends, he’d survive, and so would Castiel.  
  
As Castiel stood in the cafeteria with his and Dean’s friends gathered around them and supporting them, and him and Dean holding hands proudly, he had never felt happier. He had found his masked stranger, but now there were no more masks or costumes in their way. They were face to face and out in the open in front of everyone and each other.  
  
The masquerade was finally over.

  
  
_The end._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this story :) I don’t have plans to continue it, even though it was a lot of fun writing it.
> 
> The title for the story was inspired by lyrics of the song “Speak Out Now” by Oh Land; it’s also what kind of inspired some of the storyline. I heard it a lot on the radio at some point.
> 
> Thank you very much for reading! I love your feedback so far, thank you :)


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